How is it possible for the President of a country under foreign occupation and whose people have been forcibly displaced to remain silent in the face of Israel’s plans?

 

5 January 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

In addition to Israel’s three months of ongoing mass crimes it is committing against the Palestinians, the Israeli government’s further plans are being revealed every day. The international community and even traditional supporters of Israel are denouncing the unacceptable statements by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his Ministers of Defense and Finance, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich respectively, about “voluntary displacement of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip”.  There are press reports of Israeli officials holding secret negotiations for the displacement of Gaza inhabitants to the Congo and other countries.  Such intentions are tantamount to planning ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people.

The Cypriot government is keeping silent – even now.  Apart from the embraces between President Christodoulides and B. Netanyahu and the expression of full support for him, the Cypriot government has failed to express the self-evident according to international law.

At a time when a number of states, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Z. Borrell himself, but also even close allies of Israel have condemned these provocative statements, what is preventing Mr. Christodoulides and his government from making a statement of condemnation?

How is it possible for the President of a country, part of which is under foreign occupation and whose people have been forcibly displaced, to remain silent?