According to the Cyprus Mail, the confrontation erupted when Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou's ministry circulated directives from Israel's diaspora ministry demanding the removal of what Israel deemed "anti-Israel graffiti" – including innocuous symbols of Palestinian solidarity such as paintings of the Palestinian flag with heart-shaped balloons.
Mayor Vyras, who also chairs the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, delivered a powerful rebuke to the government's submission to Israeli demands. "We do not accept suggestions from third parties, even more so from any foreign country," he declared, emphasizing that "freedom of expression is non-negotiable."
His statement resonated with growing public sentiment as he expressed his profound sadness that "at a time when there are thousands of dead people next to us, we are being called upon to turn public debate towards slogans on walls, instead of focusing on the essence of the great humanitarian crisis and the crimes against humanity which are ongoing."
The Israeli circular, brazenly forwarded by Cyprus's Interior Ministry, targeted various expressions of Palestinian solidarity, including artwork depicting Gaza's suffering children and references to genocide – legitimate criticisms of Israel's military campaign that has killed thousands of Palestinian civilians.
Opposition party AKEL launched a scathing attack on the government's complicity, asking whether "the Netanyahu regime is exercising commando control over this country?" The party condemned the interior ministry's actions as "yet another act of shame regarding the stance it takes towards the genocide and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people."
AKEL further accused the Christodoulides government of evolving "into a propaganda machine for the atrocities taking place in Gaza," using selective sensitivity to hate speech as "a pretext to silence any expression of solidarity with the Palestinian people."
While the ruling DISY party attempted to defend the government's position with tired Cold War rhetoric, their response only highlighted their disconnect from Cyprus's growing pro-Palestinian sentiment, particularly evident during July's football match, where Cypriot fans released Palestinian flags during a game against the Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv.
This latest episode reveals a Cyprus increasingly divided between a government eager to appease Israeli interests and local leaders and citizens who refuse to remain silent about Palestinian suffering.
Photo: Kathimerini Cyprus