The so-called Pancyprian Peace Council will stage a demonstration outside the presidential palace on Friday evening to protest against President Nikos Christodoulides’ scheduled visit to Israel on Sunday. In announcing the protest, the Council insisted that the president, “in the most brazen way, instead of ending the stance of silence over the crimes of genocide committed by Israel against the Palestinian people, chooses, with this visit, to support, with every formality, the Netanyahu government.” The visit was a “provocation” to the Palestinians and other people of the region “suffering the barbarism of Israel’s war machine,” said the Council.

Even if the Pancyprian Peace Council was making a valid point, it is very difficult to take it seriously, considering it does not take a principled stand on all wars. It has not organised any protests against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, nor has it shown any sensitivity for the Ukrainian people suffering the barbarism of Russia’s war machine. Nor did it hold any protests outside the presidential palace when former President Nicos Anastasiades visited President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, a few months after Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. A Soviet Union creation made to repeat Kremlin propaganda; the Peace Council has never tried to hide its double standards.

Akel was fully aligned with the Peace Council, also taking exception to the president’s visit and meeting with the “wanted war criminal,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This “damages the credibility of the Republic of Cyprus, as it puts the government of Cyprus side by side with the perpetrators of the genocide of the 21st century,” said Akel, insisting that Cyprus should stand with international law, “instead of hobnobbing with war criminals.”

The criticism stung the government, which responded with platitudes rather than arguments that backed Christodoulides’s decision. Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the visits to Israel and West Bank “fall within the framework of strategic contacts and parity-based dialogue with all regional nations, without ideological blinkers without selective moral sensibilities,” whatever this means. The Republic exercised “multi-faceted, responsible and balanced foreign policy guided solely by the desire to uphold its national interests and enhance its international presence,” said Letymbiotis.

How on earth would Cyprus enhance its international presence by Christodoulides visiting Israel and meeting Netanyahu who is wanted for alleged war crimes and has had an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court? Cyprus’ case against Turkey is based on the latter’s violation of international law, but our president sees no issue about visiting a country whose government is accused by many states, including members of the EU, as well as international organisations of violating international law. Is it really in our national interest to embrace double standards with regard to respect for international law?

The reality is that the Cyprus Republic has nothing to gain from this visit, which was requested by Israel’s government and although Akel’s critique might be excessive, it is right to argue that the visit should not take place now. Visiting Israel now is the wrong way for Cyprus  and Christodoulides to enhance their international presence.