Can old-school Malta endure?

Perched on Europe’s southernmost edge, Malta is an object lesson in the folly of lazy essentialism. A Catholic nation where devotees invoke Allah, the islands are home to Europe’s only Semitic language. The former capital, Mdina, derives from the Arabic word for “city”, while the nation’s symbol is the cross of St John. Malta may be smaller than the Isle of Wight, but it is a portal for civilizations. That is because it has always been a crossroads, the rocky harbor in the heart of the Mediterranean. The Arabs bequeathed the islands their distinctive language, while the Normans began fortifying their harbor. It is said that Ottoman troops, taken hostage after the Siege of Malta, furnished the locals with coffee before even Venetian traders knew of its pleasures. Later still, Malta was Fren