The Green party on Monday condemned the Limassol mayor’s participation in a conference alleged to promote Zionism.

The party accused Mayor Yiannis Armeftis of taking part in the event that projects Zionism as the pro-Israeli position.

“We believe that the participation of the mayor at a conference in Poland [whose] main theme the equation of Semitism with Zionism, is a direct affront to every democratic citizen,” the Greens said.

They went on to recall that “Zionism is a form of racism and social discrimination” as per a UN declaration from 1975.

“It seems that the municipal council were not informed of the mayor’s decision to travel to Poland and represent [his constituents] in [the] pro-Zionist conference,” the Greens added.

The party said it condemned both anti-Semitism, an ideology directed against the Jewish nation, as well as Zionism.

“[Both are] forms of racism and racial segregation,” the party said.

“At a time when genocide of the Palestinians is being carried out by Zionists and when Israel is attacking the friendly country of Lebanon, the action of the mayor of Limassol causes justified reactions,” the Greens said.

The party urged the Limassol municipality to distance itself from the mayor’s activities, saying that failure to do so would expose municipal officials.