The main opposition party in Cyprus called the joint military exercise with the IDF, which ended today (Friday), “a dangerous development for the country.” “Cyprus should refrain from cooperating with a foreign army with a history of occupation, colonization, war crimes and violation of international laws, all of which remind us of the Turkish occupation of the island.”
Many in Cyprus argue that the fact that the country is hosting international military exercises could entitle them to join opposition to Turkey – but the party rejects this view. “Neither the militarization of our regional partnerships nor the transformation of our National Guard into supporting Israeli military personnel serve the interests and security of our country and our people,” the statement said in a statement.
At the same time, the local media reports that throughout the exercise, locals living in its vicinity have repeatedly complained about the noise of military vehicles and artillery noise. “20 storms passed at a low altitude above us for almost a week,” she told Walla! An Israeli woman living near Paphos, “The heavy noise was heard all week, but the majority were in favor of the exercises because they understand that this is a demonstration of power against Turkey.” She adds that there are differences between what is presented in the media. “On the one hand, they wrote that it was reassuring that Israel supported Cyprus, on the other hand, they emphasized the Palestinian side and wrote that Israel was occupying a state.”
In response to domestic suspicions, the Foreign Ministry of Cyprus issued a statement on Tuesday stressing that the exercise was intended to increase the National Guard’s readiness for defense and stressing that “the exercise is based on hypothetical scenarios and is not directed against any other country in the region.” The Cypriot Foreign Ministry added, “Cyprus’s defense capabilities are completely defensive, as it faces a constant threat to its territory from the Turkish occupation forces and does not pose a threat to our partners in the region.”