Fears Israel may instrumentalise Cyprus’ humanitarian corridor

Palestine’s foreign minister is set to visit Cyprus to discuss growing concerns that the humanitarian corridor to Gaza may be ‘instrumentalised’ by Israel to displace residents in the besieged enclave, it emerged on Friday.

Though a date has not been set, Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki is expected to arrive in Cyprus in the coming days.

Palestinian ambassador to Cyprus Abdallah Attari told the Cyprus Mail that Palestine trusts Cyprus’ intentions but not those of Israel.

“Our experience with Israel in the past 75 years gives us every right to be suspicious. Their plan is to displace Palestinians and they have openly discussed plans with other countries such as the Congo to send Palestinians there.

“It is not in our imagination.”

He did not share details on how he feared Israel may instrumentalise the corridor but said more official statements would be made during the upcoming foreign minister’s visit.

The fears concern the maritime humanitarian corridor, where aid ships are supposed to leave Cyprus and reach Gaza to deliver supplies. Dubbed the Amalthia plan, it requires the green light from Israel to go ahead.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis sought to stress that the corridor from Cyprus to Gaza is envisioned to operate only as a one-way route and only deliver aid.

He underlined that that while Cyprus was preparing its plans for Amalthia, both the president and foreign minister held meetings with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority to present the initiative.

Letymbiotis said that in October Cyprus’ Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos was in Ramallah “precisely to discuss the situation in the area and the initiative, which also takes into consideration the concerns of the Palestinian Authority.”

Cyprus has been touting the maritime humanitarian corridor as a means to send aid to the besieged enclave in Gaza, despite EU concerns over ‘logistical difficulties’.

A shipment of aid on the RFA Lyme Bay which was part of a coordinated effort between the UK and Cyprus failed to successfully dock in Gaza and deliver the supplies.

After two weeks after leaving the island, the RFA Lyme Bay ultimately docked in Egypt’s Port Said to deliver the aid through the Rafah crossing.