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<h1 class="gmail-reader-title">How Cyprus became first
European partner in 'Israel's' gas theft crime</h1>
<div class="gmail-credits gmail-reader-credits">Al Mayadeen
English</div>
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<div class="gmail-reader-estimated-time">November 9, 2025</div>
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<p>British energy giant Energean plans a $400 million
pipeline linking gas from occupied Palestinian waters to
Cyprus, raising legal and ethical concerns.</p>
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<a
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tabindex="0" moz-do-not-send="true"><img
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alt="How Cyprus became the EU\u2019s first partner in 'Israel\u2019s' Gas theft"
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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 (<em>AP</em>)
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<p>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\u202fmillion
pipeline to transport natural gas from an offshore rig
in <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/gaza-marine-gas-field-close-to-agreement"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">disputed Palestinian waters</a>
to Cyprus.</p>
<p>According to media reports, the <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/occupation-pm:-israel-cyprus-europe-gas-pipeline-underway"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">project requires only
governmental approval</a>, 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\u2019s legality and its breach of the
Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and
international law.</p>
<p>Critics argue that the pipeline reinforces "Israel\u2019s"
control over resources in occupied waters while
providing financial and strategic benefits to both
"Israel" and its corporate partners.</p>
<p>\u201cOur proposal offers a practical and efficient
solution to reduce Cyprus\u2019s 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,\u201d said Energean CEO Mathias
Rigas.</p>
<h2>Not first case of complicity</h2>
<p>This isn\u2019t the first example of <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/anti-war-protest-at-uk-base-in-cyprus-over-complicity-in-gaz"
moz-do-not-send="true">Britain and Cyprus working
together</a> 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 \u201cIsrael\u201d in
gathering intelligence over the Strip.</p>
<p><a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/raf-operated-surveillance-flights-over-gaza-on-captives-rele"
moz-do-not-send="true">RAF Akrotiri</a> has served
as the main base for these flights, and in some
periods over the past two years, Britain has conducted
<a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/raf-continues-to-conduct-gaza-surveillance-flights-for--isra"
moz-do-not-send="true">more such missions than
\u201cIsrael\u201d itself</a>. This level of coordination goes
beyond mere complicity; it reflects direct
involvement.</p>
<p><em>DropSite News</em> even cited senior British
military sources confirming that Israeli F-35 jets are
capable of receiving \u201ctechnical assistance\u201d at the <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/declassified-uk-uncovers-uk-60-flights-to--israel--during-wa"
moz-do-not-send="true">RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus</a>.</p>
<h2>'Israel'-Cyprus energy axis: Pipeline plans,
historical controversies</h2>
<p>"Israel\u2019s" 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.</p>
<p>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\u2019 rights.</p>
<p>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 <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/real-estate-or-takeover--israeli-purchases-sound-alarm-in-cy"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">property acquisitions</a> and
intelligence operations, reflect a continuation of
expansionist policies that undermine Palestinian
rights and international law.</p>
<h3>Cyprus 'is no longer ours'</h3>
<p>This recent sharp rise in Israeli real estate
acquisitions across Cyprus has<span> </span><a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-media:-anger-in-cyprus-because-of-israeli-maneuvers"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">sparked growing concern</a><span> </span>over
national sovereignty and affordability, with political
debate intensifying after a recent congress by AKEL,
Cyprus\u2019 second-largest party, where criticism of the
purchases was quickly met with accusations of
antisemitism, a familiar Israeli tactic to silence
legitimate scrutiny.</p>
<p>In July 2025, Party leader Stefanos Stefanou warned
of what he called a growing \u201cnational security
threat,\u201d 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.</p>
<p>\u201cIf we don\u2019t take effective action now, one day we\u2019ll
find that this country is no longer ours,\u201d he
stressed, urging government intervention.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Media reports further suggest Israeli property
investments in Cyprus, often in high-end \u201cgated
communities" and Mossad safehouse operations, raising
ethical and legal questions.</p>
<h2>Viral clips of 'promised land' dissected</h2>
<p>At the time, one viral clip shows a man impersonating
an ultra-Orthodox Jew, declaring in Hebrew: \u201cGod
promised us Cyprus after Israel,\u201d while saying that
Israelis are buying up property \u201cnon-stop". Another
shows him replying to a question about \u201cstealing
homes\u201d with the line: \u201cIf we don\u2019t steal them, someone
else will,\u201d as Hava Nagila plays in the background. A
third video features the same character in a prayer
shawl, stating, \u201cCyprus was promised to us 3,500 years
ago; finally, I\u2019m home.\u201d</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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, \u201cCypriots can\u2019t afford homes
for themselves or their children anymore. The Israelis
are buying everything.\u201d</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><strong>Read more:<span> </span><a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/cyprus-receives-israeli-air-defense-system--local-media"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">Cyprus receives Israeli air
defense system: Local media</a></strong></p>
<h2>Strategic, defense cooperation</h2>
<p>"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.</p>
<p>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. </p>
<p>The trilateral partnership, reinforced by US
engagement, underscores "Israel\u2019s" intent to
consolidate influence in the Eastern Mediterranean,
creating a corridor of strategic depth extending from
Cyprus to its Mediterranean borders.</p>
<h2>Energy projects, economic ties</h2>
<p>Offshore gas discoveries have made energy cooperation
a central feature of "Israel"\u2013Cyprus relations. These
resources are seemingly recognized as strategically
important for regional security and international
markets.</p>
<p>Last week, Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister
Eli Cohen emphasized the strategic importance of such
projects. \u201cSelling gas to Cyprus will strengthen
Israel\u2019s 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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h3>Gas theft from disputed fields ongoing</h3>
<p>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 <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/lebanese-mod:-israeli-provocations-in-disputed-area-call-for"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">energy fields at Lebanon\u2019s
expense</a>.</p>
<p>The Karish and Karish North fields, though smaller
than the Leviathan and Tamar fields, are being used
strategically to secure "Israel\u2019s" energy supply,
including during the genocide in Gaza when production
from Tamar stalled.</p>
<h2>Corporate involvement, controversy</h2>
<p>Critics argue that companies such as Energean and
British BP p.l.c. play a role in sustaining "Israel\u2019s"
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.</p>
<p>In July 2025, Francesca Albanese described such
corporate involvement as part of the <a
href="https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/opinion/economy-of-genocide--albanese-s-report-accuses--but-doesn-t"
target="_blank" rel="noopener"
moz-do-not-send="true">\u201ceconomy of genocide</a>,\u201d
insisting that there were firms and people \u201cthat have
profited from the violence, the killing, the maiming,
the destruction in Gaza and other parts of the
occupied Palestinian territory\u201d.</p>
<p>\u201cOne people enriched, one people erased,\u201d she said.</p>
<p>\u201cClearly, for some, genocide is profitable,\u201d Albanese
declared.</p>
<h2>Regional geopolitics</h2>
<p>"Israel\u2019s" energy and strategic projects have broader
regional implications. Agreements to supply gas to
Egypt and Cyprus not only generate revenue but also
consolidate "Israel\u2019s" influence in neighboring
countries with weak economies. </p>
<p>Palestinian authorities and rights groups maintain
that Israeli energy projects in disputed waters
violate Gaza\u2019s 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.</p>
<h2>Looking ahead</h2>
<p>The "Israel"\u2013Cyprus axis is set to deepen,
encompassing defense, energy, and economic
cooperation. </p>
<p>For Palestinians and Lebanese, these developments are
more than geopolitical maneuvering; they reflect the
ongoing dispossession and resource exploitation
inherent in "Israel\u2019s" occupation.</p>
<p>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.</p>
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