On Thursday, January 9, in the afternoon, a large protest took place in Nicosia against the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
About 300–400 people gathered near the presidential palace, expressing dissatisfaction and chanting slogans against the Duke and Israeli policies. Demonstrators shouted "murderer, go home" and held signs reading "undesirable" and "persona non grata."
The main reason for the protest was Duke's statements, which caused outrage both internationally and among Cypriots. In October 2023, Herzog said at a press conference in Israel: “The whole nation has a responsibility. This rhetoric that civilians are not involved is incorrect. This is absolutely not true. They could rebel, they could fight against this sinister regime that took over Gaza in a coup.” The words were seen as justification for Israel's military action in Gaza, where the death toll has topped 46,000, according to Palestinian health officials.
The protest was organized by the Pan-Cypriot Peace Council and brought together representatives of various organizations, including the opposition leftist party AKEL, the youth movement EDON affiliated with the communists from AKEL and the federation of leftist trade unions PEO. Also present at the demonstration were social movements such as United for Palestine, Genocide Free Cyprus and anti-fascists KISA. Participants called for an end to Israeli military operations and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. Slogans included "No to imperialist wars", "Free Palestine", "Cyprus, Palestine, solidarity" and "Long live the friendship of peoples".
The president of the Pan-Cypriot Peace Council, Tassos Kosteas, said: “We are here to send a message that Cypriots will not accept this barbarity that is happening today in Gaza and which, in our opinion, is nothing less than the systematic extermination of the Palestinian people.” Actress Melanie Steliou addressed the crowd: “Christodoulides and his government will be judged as collaborators of the fascist and genocidal state of Israel who stood on the wrong side of history.”
Duke's talks with Cypriot President Nicos Christodoulides focused on developments in Syria and wider regional issues. These meetings coincided with intergovernmental negotiations between Cyprus and Egypt, as well as a trilateral summit between Cyprus, Greece and Egypt in Cairo. In a brief statement, a Cypriot government spokesman said the two heads of state "exchanged views on current regional and international developments," emphasizing Cyprus' role as a force of stability and a bridge between the region and the European Union.
Security was tightened during the protests, with several roads closed to traffic and police helicopters circling Nicosia for several hours. Despite the protests, the Duke's meeting with UAE Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan passed without incident. During the talks, events in Syria, regional issues and prospects for the development of bilateral ties between Cyprus and the UAE were discussed, with a commitment to maintaining an “open channel of communication.”
Source: cyprus-mail.com
