President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, in an interview with Phileleftheros, stated that all government actions serve the overarching goal of resolving the Cyprus problem.
Allow us to point out a contradiction, Mr Christodoulides. One cannot, on the one hand, claim that our primary objective is the resolution of the Cyprus problem - that is, a final settlement with the Turkish Cypriots and Turkey - and, on the other hand, the very next day, within the framework of the trilateral meeting with Israel, allow statements to be made and, more importantly, reports to be leaked - left unchallenged - suggesting that the trilateral cooperation between Cyprus, Greece and Israel has been transformed into a trilateral confrontation with Turkey, through the establishment of a joint brigade and other such measures.
We do not dispute that Cyprus–Israel relations are necessary and in the interest of all. However, if this relationship leads to a continuous confrontation with Turkey as an “extension” of Israeli–Turkish tensions, then the balance of risk will tilt against Cyprus.
In recent months, according to the Jerusalem Post, the Greece–Cyprus–Israel trilateral has entered a more “hard-line” phase, with plans for cooperation and military planning for 2026, functioning as a signal of coordination among the three countries.
When Nicosia aligns its policy with the Israel–Turkey conflict - over Gaza and Syria - there is a risk that it will end up paying the cost of a tension that does not directly concern it. The discussion on Israeli air defence systems in Cyprus has already prompted public warnings and concerns from Turkey, with references to a “fragile balance” on the island. Cyprus needs to keep channels open with the EU, the UN and countries in the region. The image of an “anti-Turkey axis” (even if exaggerated by the media) fuels reactions and provides Ankara with an easy and, above all, digestible narrative.
As rightly noted in a Reuters analysis, Nicosia is also exerting pressure on Ankara through European levers (e.g. accession and EU defence). However, if the confrontation shifts primarily to the Israel–Turkey arena, there is a risk that Cyprus’s clear European agenda will be lost.
Therefore, at some point Cyprus must calmly and without emotionalism examine what truly serves its interests - assuming, of course, that the President’s position holds that our priority is the solution of the Cyprus problem. In conclusion, cooperation with Israel is in our interest; at the same time, however, a state of “permanent confrontation” with Turkey is not, because that ultimately serves Tel Aviv.
This article was originally published in the Politis daily newspaper.