A senior official in the illegally occupied north accused the Republic of Cyprus on Monday of “handing over the keys” of its sovereignty to Israel, following recent agreements on defence cooperation.
According to the Daily Sabah, Ziya Öztürkleler, the “parliament speaker” in the north, issued a written statement after Nicosia granted Israel preferential access to the airports of Larnaca and Paphos, as well as to the military base in Paphos. He claimed these moves “place sovereignty under question.”
Öztürkleler described the development as “extremely dangerous” at a time when, he argued, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is showing an aggressive stance. He also suggested that granting such rights by an EU member state “creates problems for Brussels.”
The remarks were interpreted as reflecting concern over the strengthening of Cyprus–Israel defence ties. Reports in Turkish media noted that Nicosia has offered “privileged status” to Israel at the Paphos base, while also cooperating on joint military exercises and intelligence exchange. The United States has meanwhile lifted restrictions on arms sales to Cyprus.
Israel’s delivery of military shipments to Greek-administered Cyprus (GCA) marks another step in a deepening alliance. From defence base access in Paphos to increased Israeli settlements, GCA is tied ever closer to Tel Aviv and its Western partners pic.twitter.com/guCZ5hHRAC
— TRT World (@trtworld) September 22, 2025
Ankara and the “leaders” of the occupied territories argue that these steps upset the balance of power on the island. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan recently claimed Cyprus is acting as a “military base” for Israel’s operations in Gaza, while other Turkish sources warned of “dangerous consequences” if new armament programmes proceed.
The Turkish broadcaster TRT added that the transfer of military cargo from Israel to Cyprus signals a further deepening of their alliance.
Context:
Turkey has frequently dismissed EU criticism on issues such as human rights, drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, and its military operations in Syria. Ankara’s sudden appeal to “concerns in Brussels” over Cyprus–Israel cooperation contrasts with its usual disregard for EU positions. At the same time, both Turkey and the breakaway north have themselves been strengthening their military footprint on the island, underscoring the contradiction in objecting to Nicosia’s defence partnerships.
Also read: Turkish army in occupied Cyprus doubles to 100,000
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel.
