On Christmas of 1999, President of Malta (Emeritus), Guido de Marco attended the Bethlehem Midnight Mass (24-25 December 1999) and met with then President of Palestine, Yasser Arafat.[3][4] In July 2008, the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas visited Valletta, Malta and called on President of Malta (Emeritus), Edward Fenech Adami.[5][6] In January 2019, President of Malta (Emeritus), Marie Louise Coleiro Preca made an historic two day visit to Palestine visiting the cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah and met with President Abbas.