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Daily Sabah (23 September 2025)

Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean are on the rise after the Greek Cypriot administration quietly received advanced Israeli air defense systems, prompting both political and religious leaders to adopt increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

According to the Hürriyet newspaper, following Israel’s second delivery batch of Barak MX missile systems to the Greek Cypriots earlier, religious leaders have further escalated the rhetoric. Archbishop Yeorgios of the Greek Orthodox Church, long known for his anti-Turkish stance, used Easter sermons and subsequent appearances to call for coordinated Greek and Greek Cypriot action to "drive the Turks from Cyprus.”

The controversy has also spilled into domestic politics. The Greek Cypriot daily Haravgi reported that the chief of staff of Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides had, under Israeli orders, issued a directive to erase graffiti critical of Israel. The main opposition communist Akel party stated that even criticizing Israel had been banned, emphasizing that the government has surrendered to Netanyahu’s genocidal regime.

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