Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal of the TRNC analyzes Israel’s growing ties with the Greek Cypriot Administration, raising concerns over regional energy exclusion, security implications, and the denial of Turkish Cypriot rights.
Strategic Realignment in the Eastern Mediterranean: Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal Warns Against the Geopolitical Consequences of the Israel–Greek Cypriot Partnership
In a comprehensive analysis of recent geopolitical shifts, Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal, Special Advisor on International Relations and Diplomacy to the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), has raised serious concerns about the deepening strategic cooperation between Israel and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC).
His remarks come at a time of heightened instability in the region, following Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, which have triggered a notable migration of Israeli nationals—estimated at over 15,000—to the southern part of the island.
Rising Israeli Influence in Southern Cyprus
The significant influx of Israeli citizens, along with growing reports of real estate acquisitions by Israeli investors, has prompted political backlash within the GCASC. Opposition party AKEL has gone so far as to describe the phenomenon as a form of “silent occupation,” accusing the Greek Cypriot government of complicity in enabling Israeli strategic expansion.
Media coverage in Southern Cyprus has echoed these concerns, with local outlets questioning the implications of this rapid demographic and economic shift.
Energy Geopolitics and Regional Exclusion
Prof. Işıksal emphasized that Israel’s strategic interest in Cyprus is directly linked to its Eastern Mediterranean energy agenda. He cited initiatives such as the EastMed Pipeline, trilateral energy agreements involving Israel, Greece, and the GCASC, and the 2010 maritime delimitation agreement between Israel and the Greek Cypriot Administration.
These initiatives, according to Işıksal, are designed to marginalize both Türkiye and the TRNC from regional energy corridors and negotiations, thereby excluding Turkish Cypriots from their legitimate share of the island’s natural wealth.
Growing Military and Intelligence Ties
Beyond energy cooperation, the defense relationship between Israel and Southern Cyprus has intensified significantly, including:
- Joint military drills and training exercises
- Expanding bilateral defense agreements
- The controversial transfer of airport security operations to Israeli intelligence entities
Such developments have sparked internal criticism within the Greek Cypriot community, particularly over questions of national sovereignty and public accountability.
Strategic Marginalization of the TRNC
Prof. Işıksal noted that a core aim of this Israeli–Greek Cypriot alignment is to obstruct international recognition of the TRNC and to deprive Turkish Cypriots of geopolitical agency. He also pointed to a deliberate shift by Israeli actors away from engagement with the TRNC, particularly after certain investment and construction proposals were halted within the TRNC.
A Temporary Alliance in a Volatile Region
Concluding his assessment, Işıksal argued that the Greek Cypriot Administration is merely a provisional partner in Israel’s broader regional strategy. He cautioned that no lasting geopolitical architecture in the Eastern Mediterranean will succeed without the inclusion of Türkiye and the TRNC.
He called for renewed international dialogue and insisted that a sustainable and equitable resolution to the Cyprus question must involve recognition of the TRNC and a two-state model, in line with the evolving realities on the ground.
Conclusion
The evolving partnership between Israel and the GCASC represents more than a tactical alliance; it reflects a deliberate geopolitical strategy with far-reaching implications for regional security, energy policy, and the political future of the island. As Prof. Işıksal warns, any framework that excludes Türkiye and the TRNC is fundamentally unstable and unjust—and ultimately doomed to fail. northcyprusinvesting.com, Investra.io