International broadcaster Al Jazeera has spotlighted the growing Israeli business and strategic presence in Cyprus, examining concerns about foreign involvement in key sectors including water management, healthcare, energy and defence.
Published under the headline "Is Cyprus Becoming Israel's Backyard?", the video report by journalists Nils Adler and Nida Ibrahim explores how Israeli investment in Cyprus has expanded significantly in recent years and the debate surrounding its implications.
Focus on water infrastructure
The report opens in Cyprus, highlighting a desalination facility partly managed by Mekorot, Israel's state-owned water company.
According to Al Jazeera, Mekorot is now involved in managing approximately 40% of Cyprus' desalination capacity. The report also notes that the company appears on a UN database of businesses linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Scrutiny of Mekorot's activities
A substantial portion of the report focuses on allegations concerning Mekorot's operations in Palestinian territories.
Al Jazeera claims that the company extracts water from underground aquifers in the occupied West Bank and sells it to Palestinian communities. The report further alleges that during periods of water scarcity, Palestinian access to water is restricted while Israeli settlements continue to receive supplies.
The broadcaster also discusses water provision in Gaza following the outbreak of war, citing claims regarding interruptions to water services and referencing data attributed to international aid organisation Oxfam.
The report describes these practices as part of what it characterises as a wider system of unequal access to water resources.
Israeli investment expands across sectors
Beyond water infrastructure, Al Jazeera reports that Israeli investment in Cyprus has increased by more than sixfold since 2017.
The report highlights activity in several strategic sectors:
- Healthcare: The opening of a Hadassah Medical Centre in Limassol.
- Energy: Israeli company NewMed Energy's 30% stake in the Aphrodite natural gas field.
- Defence: Cyprus' acquisition of the Israeli-made Barak MX air defence system to replace older Russian equipment.
According to the report, these developments illustrate an expanding Israeli presence in infrastructure considered strategically important to Cyprus.
Companies cite expertise and cooperation
Al Jazeera notes that Israeli companies argue their involvement brings valuable expertise and technology to Cyprus.
Mekorot points to similarities in water-management challenges faced by Mediterranean countries, while Hadassah presents its Limassol medical centre as a bridge providing access to Israeli medical knowledge and specialised services.
Concerns raised by some Cypriots
The report also includes the views of Cypriots who expressed concern about the extent of foreign involvement in critical infrastructure.
Among those interviewed was actress and presenter Melani Steliou, who argued that Cyprus should be attentive to the long-term implications of large-scale foreign investment and land ownership.
Historical reference
The report concludes with a historical reference to 1902, when, according to Al Jazeera, a proposal connected to Zionist interest in Cyprus was rejected by British colonial authorities on the grounds that the island was already inhabited.
Using that historical context, the broadcaster draws comparisons between earlier expressions of interest in Cyprus and contemporary economic and strategic ties between Cyprus and Israel.
The report ultimately argues that the increasing scale of Israeli involvement in Cyprus has reopened debate about the extent of Israel's economic and strategic influence on the island.
