Opposition party Akel on Wednesday demanded answers from the government regarding the extent and nature of Israeli security involvement in the island’s airports.

“Why were flights diverted [from Paphos] and what is different between that airport and Larnaca airport? Has Israel requested involvement in the island’s airports and if so, what was the government’s response? Are armed officers from Israel or any other nation embedded in any of our country’s control towers?” Akel asked.

Meanwhile in Larnaca local authorities were reported to have taken immediate action to erase anti-Israeli graffiti that appeared around the city on Monday, coinciding with worldwide Holocaust Memorial Day. The slogans read “[expletive] Israel” and “[expletive] Israel(sic) investors”.

Police were examining CCTV footage to arrest the perpetrators of the acts in Oroklini and central Larnaca while the European Jewish Association condemned the slogans, noting they were not anti-Israeli but indicative of “worldwide anti-Semitism, shocking and deeply worrying”, occurring as they did while the world had come together to remember the horrors of the Holocaust and the promise of “Never Again”.

The Israeli Embassy in Nicosia had issued a statement on Tuesday night condemning false media reports insinuating increased risk of attacks against its citizens in Cyprus, which it classed as fear-mongering.

It is understood by Cyprus Mail that the Israeli embassy’s announcement was prompted by an Israeli-based Russian language news report (on Cursorinfo.co.il) which was then relayed by local media.

The website allegedly cited the Israeli embassy in Cyprus as having issued a “do not travel” advisory, cautioning its citizens to avoid crowded places and remain up-to-date due to a heightened risk of attack.

The embassy had said in its statement it had “at no point issued [such] instructions or warnings” and that the report was a “complete fabrication” with no basis in reality.

“It is sad and unfortunate that media publish unverified and false claims without seeking confirmation from reliable sources,” the embassy is quoted as saying. It added that such reports only served to fuel unnecessary panic.

“For the police it is ‘business as usual’ with the heightened security measures due to geopolitical developments,” police spokeswoman Kyriaki Lambrianidou told the Cyprus Mail on Wednesday.

Any information regarding airport security may only be released directly from the President’s office, she clarified.

Indeed, when asked to verify or disprove reported claims of an Israeli security initiative entailing placement of a vessel at sea adjacent to the runway, a perimeter patrol car, and armed men in the control tower, the Larnaca airport’s police department refused to comment.

Managing company Hermes likewise redirected all security questions to police headquarters.

Israeli carriers using the island’s airports had always subjected their passengers to far stricter security protocols than other carriers during embarkation and landing, and this particular aspect is not a recent phenomenon, although other questions remain.

The media storm over the island’s airports and the safety of Israelis in Cyprus started after the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, on Sunday instructed flag airline carriers El Al and Arkia to avoid Paphos “due to security reasons that cannot be made public”, without issuing further comment.

The Israeli embassy in Nicosia had said that in light of “various security issues”, the decision had been taken to temporarily operate Israeli airline flights only out of Larnaca.

“The situation will continue to be closely monitored and assessed in full cooperation with local authorities,” the embassy statement said.

According to Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post, diverted arrivals were not warned against travelling to Paphos independently.

Deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou on Tuesday insisted that Cyprus’ airports are safe, adding that the measures “concern airlines with Israeli interests”.

Antoniou had told CyBC that the Republic had been “aware of the development” [regarding flights diverted from Paphos] and that flights between Israel and Larnaca airport were continuing as normal.

The civil aviation department on Monday morning denied any safety issue at Paphos airport.

“Paphos airport is operating normally despite a technical problem which recently arose,” it said, adding that the problem in question “concerned radio navigation” and had no impact on flight safety.