The Pancyprian Peace Council, together with other anti-war activist organisations, is organising a protest against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Cyprus, following an invitation from President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides. The protest is scheduled for Thursday, 10 September, at 18:30, outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.
Organisers' position on the visit
In a statement, the Council said the Christodoulides-Herzog meeting "constitutes a huge challenge," alleging that Israel is continuing what it described as a "genocide operation" against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, while escalating military operations in Lebanon, Syria and Iran. These characterisations reflect the Council's own position and have not been independently verified.
Warning of regional escalation
The Council said the risk of a wider regional war in the Middle East is "more visible than ever." It further stated that, while Israel continues to violate international law and the United Nations Charter, and to kill civilians, women and children, President Christodoulides has "provocatively chosen" to associate Cyprus and its people with Israel's military plans and operations in the wider region, according to the organisation.
Concerns over the Cyprus problem
The Pancyprian Peace Council also said that, at a time when efforts are under way to relaunch substantive dialogue on the Cyprus problem, aligning Cyprus with what it called Israel's "occupying power" undermines efforts to resolve the Cyprus issue and endangers the security and wellbeing of the Cypriot people, according to the statement.
