By Vasos Vasou
The Jewish Community of Cyprus has sent an apology letter to Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras over the controversy sparked by a planned tree-planting ceremony on Sunday at 11 a.m. opposite Vergina Lyceum.
The letter, sent on Friday morning via the community’s lawyer, says the purpose of planting 50 trees has been misunderstood and that the sole aim of the initiative is to honour and commemorate the recent signing of the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.
“It was never our intention to introduce any political dimension, to cause any disturbance or to convey any message that could be interpreted as divisive. We apologise for any inconvenience or misunderstanding that may have arisen,” the Jewish Community notes in the apology letter, which was written in English.
The letter, signed by community secretary Menachem Cohen, stresses that the Jewish Community of Cyprus warmly welcomes anyone who believes that peace, unity and the protection of life are values to be celebrated. “Therefore, all those who share these values are invited to Sunday’s event,” it adds.
Notably, the letter makes no mention of United States president Donald Trump.
From Trump tribute to peace commemoration
The community’s shift in tone follows an outcry over the wording of the original event invitation, effectively forcing a full U-turn on how the purpose of the ceremony is presented.
While the apology letter to Larnaca municipality emphasises that “the sole intention of this initiative has always been to honor, commemorate and celebrate the recent signing of the peace agreement”, the invitation circulated in previous days stated verbatim: “A tree planting ceremony in honor of US president Donald Trump that caused the release of the Israeli hostages and signing the peace agreement.”
In other words, the original invitation framed the event explicitly as a tribute to Trump for securing the release of Israeli hostages, whereas the apology letter now describes it only as an occasion to mark the signing of the peace deal.
Whatever the wording, the initiative has triggered strong reactions in Larnaca. Palestinians living in the city, as well as other residents, are, according to information, preparing a protest to coincide with the time and date of the ceremony.
Security operation around Vergina Lyceum
The planned event has put Larnaca police on high alert. The district police headquarters is expected to deploy tight security measures around Vergina Lyceum and the surrounding area on Sunday to manage both the ceremony and any possible counter-demonstrations.
Parents’ association distances itself
In the meantime, the Parents and Guardians Association of Vergina Lyceum has issued a statement making clear it has no connection or involvement with the tree-planting event organised by the Jewish Community.
The association also clarified that the ceremony will not take place within the school grounds.