Cyprus’ AKEL party has expressed its objection over the rising number of properties being purchased by Israeli nationals.
Stefanos Stefanou, the leader of the party, spoke about the matter at a congress meeting, explaining how this “looks a lot like” the “tactics” used in the former Palestinian areas, and if left unchecked might cause demographic issues.
He further added that such issues may include a rise of synagogues and “Zionist” educational institutions, along with a broader presence of foreign culture. He then resorted to saying he was worried that the country “is going to be taken away,” eventually.
Stefanou even accused the current ruling government of being negligent and urged them to tighten up their controls on whom they are selling their properties to.
Several locals supported Stefanou’s claims, saying that property sales left unchecked could cause economic problems to the already sensitive island nation and might even undermine its sovereignty down the line.
In contrast, Oren Anolik, the Ambassador of Israel in Nicosia, criticized the claims, calling Stefanou and his supporters as people promoting antisemitism in an otherwise peaceful nation. Stefanou responded to his accusation with a counter argument that that was never his intention and that Israeli politics must never be mixed with antisemitism.
Cyprus has over 2,500 Israeli nationals residing – although many believe the actual count to lie somewhere upwards of twelve to fifteen thousand.
