Israeli expansion in Cyprus raises national security concerns

The Cypriot daily Politis, in a report titled “As If Cyprus Were Another Promised Land… Why Are Jews Buying Land in Cyprus?”, wrote that the number of Zionist Jews in the country has reached 15,000, and the Chabad group is actively operating in the area.

The report revealed that the Israelis currently residing on the island are on the verge of establishing a new town, and that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Israelis treated Cyprus as a strategic alternative location.

According to the report, the Chabad group maintains six houses, a synagogue, a kindergarten, a mikveh (a ritual Jewish bath), a kosher certification center, a cemetery, and summer activity centers.

Chabad (or Habad) is described in the article as an extremist organization that denies the existence of Palestinians, advocates for their expulsion from occupied Palestine, and opposes any agreement that would grant Palestinians any part of the land.

Chabad members are not only active in the UAE but also present in countries such as the United States, France, and Canada, where they have established Jewish community centers complete with synagogues, Torah scrolls, and religious instructions.

On the political front, Stefanos Stefanou, Secretary-General of AKEL (the Progressive Party of the Working People and Cyprus’s largest opposition party), warned during a party congress that Israelis are buying land in Cyprus illegally and without permits.

He stated: “Our country is being taken away from us… Israel is occupying us.”

During his speech, Stefanou warned: “A great danger is approaching… Our country is slipping away. Israelis are purchasing real estate in sensitive areas that pose a threat to national security.”

He further added: “We are witnessing the emergence of a phenomenon: Israelis are creating ghettos by establishing schools and synagogues. We are seeing the targeted and organized acquisition of key economic centers and vast tracts of land in Cyprus by Israelis.”