Watan-Cyprus is witnessing a state of escalating public anger following the expansion of real estate purchases by Israeli investors, which has raised concerns about an “organized settlement plan” compared to what is happening in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The controversy reached its peak during a conference for the AKEL party, the second-largest party in the country, where its Secretary-General, Stefanos Stefanou, warned that these moves constitute “a direct threat to Cypriot sovereignty,” especially in areas close to sensitive infrastructure.
Stefanou said: “The situation is reminiscent of what happened in Palestine, where acquisition began gradually before turning into an imposed settlement reality,” pointing out that the purchase operations are linked to plans that include establishing closed areas, religious schools, and synagogues.
الاستيطان ليس في فلسطين فقط.. عين إسرائيل على “دولة أخرى” pic.twitter.com/J18fxRd6by
— وطن. يغرد خارج السرب (@watanserb_news) July 6, 2025
Although the number of Israelis permanently residing in Cyprus is estimated at about 2,500, unofficial estimates raise the number to 15,000 due to many entering with European passports. The Israeli expansion also includes buying properties in the Turkish part of the island, despite legal restrictions there.
Although Stefanou stressed that the warnings “do not stem from hatred or anti-Semitism,” Cypriot concern is growing amid the increasing Israeli economic and demographic influence on the island.