Christodoulides wraps up meetings with politicians in Ramallah

Cyprus and Israel share common values and common interests, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday after a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides in Jerusalem.

As two democracies in the region, he said, Cyprus and Israel want to secure their future by increasing their prosperity.

He also stressed the importance of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and the successful trilateral cooperation between Cyprus, Greece and Israel, adding he hopes to host a trilateral summit in Israel soon.

He said discussion focussed on cooperation in the political and diplomatic fields, the economy and security.

Finally, he said that the attack earlier in the day on Ben Gurion airport will not go unanswered.

“Cyprus has once again proven that it is a reliable and predictable neighbour,” Christodoulides said, adding it “is ready to support its friends in times of need”. He was referring to a Cyprus helicopter this week taking part in firefighting efforts in Israel.

He added that the two countries maintain excellent relations, but much more needs to be done in cooperation in the fields of defence, information exchange, trade and tourism.

Finally, President Christodoulides expressed his deep emotion over the issue of the hostages and reiterated the position of the Republic of Cyprus for their immediate release.

Earlier in the day he had met members of two families of Israeli hostages in addition to his Israeli counterpart Israel Herzog.

Later, welcoming the president to Ramallah, President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas referred to the ties that bind the two countries and their peoples, while expressing gratitude for the solidarity of Cyprus.

Abbas briefed Christodoulides on the current situation and stressed the need for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.

Christodoulides reiterated the firm position of Cyprus for a two-state solution of the Palestinian problem and thanked him for the stance taken by Palestine on the Cyprus problem.

He also briefed Abbas on the efforts made by Cyprus to send aid to the civilian population of Gaza through Cyprus, an issue he discussed earlier with the political leadership of Israel.

President Christodoulides expressed his readiness to inform his European counterparts about the positions of Palestine and to convey to them the picture of the current situation.

He also referred to the role that the Republic of Cyprus can play during the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026.