[News] How Cyprus became first European partner in 'Israel's' gas theft crime
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Sun Nov 9 19:54:02 EST 2025
english.almayadeen.net
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/how-cyprus-became-the-eu-s-first-partner-in--israel-s--gas-t>
How Cyprus became first European partner in 'Israel's' gas theft crime
Al Mayadeen English
November 9, 2025
------------------------------------------------------------------------
British energy giant Energean plans a $400 million pipeline linking gas
from occupied Palestinian waters to Cyprus, raising legal and ethical
concerns.
* How Cyprus became the EU’s first partner in 'Israel’s' Gas theft
<https://alpha-en-media.almayadeen.net/media/image/2025/11/9/9ff38a06-199c-49f7-8ffa-4af9e91f60c4.jpg?v=3&width=1000>
Occupied Palestine's offshore Leviathan gas field is seen from on
board the Israeli Navy Ship Lahav during an incursion in the
Mediterranean Sea, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 (/AP/)
British energy company Energean, which operates natural gas reservoirs
of Karish, Tanin, and Katlan in the occupied Palestinian territories in
favor of "Israel", is preparing to build a $400 million pipeline to
transport natural gas from an offshore rig in disputed Palestinian
waters
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-marine-gas-field-close-to-agreement>
to Cyprus.
According to media reports, the project requires only governmental
approval
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/occupation-pm:-israel-cyprus-europe-gas-pipeline-underway>,
with Cypriot energy company Cyfield having already endorsed the
initiative. If finalized, Cyprus would become the first European nation
to import gas from Israeli-occupied maritime territory, raising
questions about the project’s legality and its breach of the Boycott,
Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and international law.
Critics argue that the pipeline reinforces "Israel’s" control over
resources in occupied waters while providing financial and strategic
benefits to both "Israel" and its corporate partners.
“Our proposal offers a practical and efficient solution to reduce
Cyprus’s energy isolation by providing direct access to natural gas from
a neighbouring source, thereby enhancing regional energy cooperation and
supporting the transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy,” said
Energean CEO Mathias Rigas.
Not first case of complicity
This isn’t the first example of Britain and Cyprus working together
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/anti-war-protest-at-uk-base-in-cyprus-over-complicity-in-gaz>
in support of Israeli operations. During the ongoing genocide in Gaza,
the UK has reportedly used territory it still controls in Cyprus to
launch surveillance missions that aid “Israel” in gathering intelligence
over the Strip.
RAF Akrotiri
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/raf-operated-surveillance-flights-over-gaza-on-captives-rele>
has served as the main base for these flights, and in some periods over
the past two years, Britain has conducted more such missions than
“Israel” itself
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/raf-continues-to-conduct-gaza-surveillance-flights-for--isra>.
This level of coordination goes beyond mere complicity; it reflects
direct involvement.
/DropSite News/ even cited senior British military sources confirming
that Israeli F-35 jets are capable of receiving “technical assistance”
at the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/declassified-uk-uncovers-uk-60-flights-to--israel--during-wa>.
'Israel'-Cyprus energy axis: Pipeline plans, historical controversies
"Israel’s" betrothal with Cyprus is not a recent development. Zionist
thinkers, including Theodore Herzl, historically regarded the island as
a potential site for settlement and strategic influence. Ancient Hebrew
communities were cited as historical precedents justifying a long-term
presence beyond Palestine.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Jewish Colonization Association
established settlements in Cyprus for Jews fleeing Russia. While small,
these colonies set a precedent for expansionist ambitions, often
disregarding local populations’ rights.
While Cyprus historically aligned with Palestinian solidarity, hosting
refugees and resisting Israeli encroachment, relations with "Israel"
have warmed over the past 15 years, driven by energy and strategic
interests. Critics argue that modern Israeli projects on the island,
including property acquisitions
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/real-estate-or-takeover--israeli-purchases-sound-alarm-in-cy>
and intelligence operations, reflect a continuation of expansionist
policies that undermine Palestinian rights and international law.
Cyprus 'is no longer ours'
This recent sharp rise in Israeli real estate acquisitions across Cyprus
hassparked growing concern
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-media:-anger-in-cyprus-because-of-israeli-maneuvers>over
national sovereignty and affordability, with political debate
intensifying after a recent congress by AKEL, Cyprus’ second-largest
party, where criticism of the purchases was quickly met with accusations
of antisemitism, a familiar Israeli tactic to silence legitimate scrutiny.
In July 2025, Party leader Stefanos Stefanou warned of what he called a
growing “national security threat,” citing Israeli land purchases near
sensitive sites and highlighting a coordinated effort, led by the
buyers, to establish closed communities, Zionist schools, and influence
over key economic sectors.
“If we don’t take effective action now, one day we’ll find that this
country is no longer ours,” he stressed, urging government intervention.
Stefanou rejected claims of xenophobia following his reference to
historical parallels with how Israelis settled the land of Palestine
after occupying its territories. This instantly drew backlash, with
critics waving the antisemitic card, again, though supporters argue his
comments reflected concerns over sovereignty, not ethnicity, and were
aimed at highlighting patterns of unregulated land acquisition.
Media reports further suggest Israeli property investments in Cyprus,
often in high-end “gated communities" and Mossad safehouse operations,
raising ethical and legal questions.
Viral clips of 'promised land' dissected
At the time, one viral clip shows a man impersonating an ultra-Orthodox
Jew, declaring in Hebrew: “God promised us Cyprus after Israel,” while
saying that Israelis are buying up property “non-stop". Another shows
him replying to a question about “stealing homes” with the line: “If we
don’t steal them, someone else will,” as Hava Nagila plays in the
background. A third video features the same character in a prayer shawl,
stating, “Cyprus was promised to us 3,500 years ago; finally, I’m home.”
The statements in the viral Cyprus videos mirror patterns seen in
occupied Palestine, where some settlers justify taking land and homes
through historical or religious claims, often framing settlement
expansion as a competitive or preemptive act, and invoking biblical or
ancestral narratives to legitimize their presence on Palestinian territory.
Moreover, these posts tap into a growing online grievance that Israeli
investors are driving up real estate prices and displacing locals, with
one widely shared claim asserting, “Cypriots can’t afford homes for
themselves or their children anymore. The Israelis are buying everything.”
Official statistics count about 2,500 Israelis in Cyprus, though many
enter using European passports, making true figures difficult to track.
Some estimates suggest the number could be as high as 15,000, with many
purchasing property reportedly for investment purposes rather than
residence, as per Israeli media.
*Read more:Cyprus receives Israeli air defense system: Local media
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/cyprus-receives-israeli-air-defense-system--local-media>*
Strategic, defense cooperation
"Israel" and Cyprus have significantly deepened their strategic and
military cooperation, often in close alignment with Greece. This
trilateral partnership has included joint military exercises,
intelligence-sharing, and advanced interoperability programs,
positioning Cyprus as a key player in regional security coordination.
Notably, Cyprus has hosted multiple training sessions centered on
maritime security, urban warfare, and "counter-terrorism", frequently
involving Israeli occupation forces.
Media reports have pointed to specific acquisitions by the Cypriot
military, including Israeli-made air-defense systems and Tavor assault
rifles, further signaling an expanding defense relationship.
The trilateral partnership, reinforced by US engagement, underscores
"Israel’s" intent to consolidate influence in the Eastern Mediterranean,
creating a corridor of strategic depth extending from Cyprus to its
Mediterranean borders.
Energy projects, economic ties
Offshore gas discoveries have made energy cooperation a central feature
of "Israel"–Cyprus relations. These resources are seemingly recognized
as strategically important for regional security and international markets.
Last week, Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen
emphasized the strategic importance of such projects. “Selling gas to
Cyprus will strengthen Israel’s diplomatic standing in the region and
among European countries, contribute to greater stability and prosperity
in our area, and generate billions of shekels in revenue for the state.
I intend to continue advancing the expansion of Israeli gas export
targets," he said.
The Energean pipeline, which would link the Karish gas field to Cyprus,
sits within contested maritime territory, once a subject of disputes
between "Israel" and Lebanon. However, an agreement brokered by the
United States in 2022 resolved the dispute, with "Israel" gaining rights
to Karish and Lebanon's rights to the nearby Qana field being recognized.
Accepting the state's deal, especially after long declining to directly
participate in any negotiations between Lebanon and "Israel" regarding
the maritime border demarcation issue, Hezbollah, protecting Lebanon's
oil rights and expecting foul play from "Israel", announced that it
would target energy fields if Lebanon was prevented from extracting gas.
It expressed readiness to intervene the minute "Israel" violated the
agreement.
Gas theft from disputed fields ongoing
Natural gas began flowing from the Karish North field on February 22,
2024, roughly sixty miles off the northern coast of occupied Palestine,
to the Energean Power, a massive floating production and storage vessel
(FPSO) operated by Energean. The gas is processed onboard before being
piped ashore near Haifa, while gas liquids, essentially oil, are stored
for export to international markets. This operation allows "Israel" to
exploit resources from disputed maritime areas, further consolidating
control over offshore energy fields at Lebanon’s expense
<https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanese-mod:-israeli-provocations-in-disputed-area-call-for>.
The Karish and Karish North fields, though smaller than the Leviathan
and Tamar fields, are being used strategically to secure "Israel’s"
energy supply, including during the genocide in Gaza when production
from Tamar stalled.
Corporate involvement, controversy
Critics argue that companies such as Energean and British BP p.l.c. play
a role in sustaining "Israel’s" occupation. Energean has partnered with
"Israel" since 2012 on projects including the Tanin Field and Karish
facility. BP has expanded exploration in Palestinian maritime zones,
which critics say are illegally exploited.
In July 2025, Francesca Albanese described such corporate involvement as
part of the “economy of genocide
<https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/opinion/economy-of-genocide--albanese-s-report-accuses--but-doesn-t>,”
insisting that there were firms and people “that have profited from the
violence, the killing, the maiming, the destruction in Gaza and other
parts of the occupied Palestinian territory”.
“One people enriched, one people erased,” she said.
“Clearly, for some, genocide is profitable,” Albanese declared.
Regional geopolitics
"Israel’s" energy and strategic projects have broader regional
implications. Agreements to supply gas to Egypt and Cyprus not only
generate revenue but also consolidate "Israel’s" influence in
neighboring countries with weak economies.
Palestinian authorities and rights groups maintain that Israeli energy
projects in disputed waters violate Gaza’s maritime zones, underscoring
the intersection of strategic, economic, and human rights concerns. The
Eastern Mediterranean is a seemingly complex legal and political
landscape, but specific legal challenges to projects such as the
Energean pipeline remain largely documented by NGOs and media outlets.
Looking ahead
The "Israel"–Cyprus axis is set to deepen, encompassing defense, energy,
and economic cooperation.
For Palestinians and Lebanese, these developments are more than
geopolitical maneuvering; they reflect the ongoing dispossession and
resource exploitation inherent in "Israel’s" occupation.
The Energean pipeline, along with the corporate and governmental actors
enabling it, exemplifies the broader challenges to Palestinian and
Lebanese sovereignty in the Eastern Mediterranean.
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