Hezbollah’s war threat frightens Greek Cyprus into neutrality on Israel
Followers of Hezbollah watch on a screen as Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks during a ceremony to commemorate the death of senior Hezbollah commander Taleb Sami Abdullah, 55, who was killed last week in an Israeli attack in the southern Lebanese suburb of Dahiyeh in Beirut, southern Lebanon, Wednesday, June 19, 2024. (AP Photo)
Greek Cyprus has announced it will not support Israel in any potential conflict with Lebanon, following statements by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah.
Lebanon’s state news agency NNA reported that Foreign Minister Abdallah Buhabib held a telephone conversation with his counterpart, Greek Cyprus Konstantinos Kombos.
Buhabib assured Kombos of Lebanon’s confidence in the positive role played by Greek Cyprus in regional stability.
Kombos, in response, expressed a desire for his country to contribute to solutions rather than exacerbate the situation in the conflict between Israel and Lebanon. He emphasized that Greek Cyprus is determined to avoid involvement in any regional warfare.
On the other hand, Greek Cyprus has reached out to the Lebanese Government seeking assurances following recent statements by Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. In a careful display of public diplomacy, both sides avoided direct reference to threats and instead emphasized the importance of friendship and cooperation between their countries. This diplomatic exchange included discussions between their Foreign Ministers and leaders at the presidential and prime ministerial levels.
The Greek Cypriot government has been cautious not to overreact to Nasrallah’s statements, which suggested Greek Cyprus could be implicated in regional conflicts by providing infrastructure support to Israel. They clarified that Greek Cyprus remains neutral and is not involved in any conflict, highlighting its role in humanitarian aid efforts for Gaza.
Government Spokesman Constantinos Letympiotis dismissed any claims suggesting Cyprus would support aggressive actions against any country, stressing Greek Cyprus’ commitment to stability and its role as a regional hub for humanitarian operations. He underscored Greek Cyprus’ contribution to fostering regional peace, prosperity, and security through its humanitarian efforts.
Nasrallah had previously cautioned that Hezbollah had intelligence suggesting Israel might use Greek Cyprus airports and military bases in a comprehensive attack on Lebanon. In such a scenario, Nasrallah warned that Hezbollah would consider Greek Cyprus a participant in the conflict and respond accordingly.
