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The speaker of Northern Cyprus's parliament condemned the delivery of Israeli air defense systems to Greek Cyprus, warning that any threats against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) would be met with resistance backed by Türkiye.
Ziya Ozturkler, speaker of the TRNC parliament, made the remarks Thursday during a meeting with officials from the Oktan Turkish Organization Association. His comments came as Greek Cypriot media reported the arrival of Israel's Iron Dome air defense system to the internationally recognized government in southern Cyprus.
"We will tear down every table set against the TRNC together with our motherland Türkiye," Ozturkler said. "We have this determination together with Türkiye."
The Turkish Cypriot leader characterized the Israeli-Greek Cypriot defense cooperation as an "open threat" to Northern Cyprus and accused the partnership of serving regional instability rather than peace. He also criticized India's military cooperation with Greek Cyprus, calling it unacceptable for countries with no regional connection to make provocative moves in the Eastern Mediterranean.
"Countries like India and Israel, while carrying out discrimination, violence and massacres against Muslims, cannot claim the right to establish strategic partnerships in other geographies," Ozturkler said.
Greek Cypriot television station Sigma reported Tuesday that the first deliveries of the Israeli Barak MX anti-aircraft system had arrived on the divided island. The system is expected to complement and eventually replace older Russian-made Tor M1 systems, according to Reuters reporting.
Greek Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides declined to confirm the delivery but told reporters Thursday that his government would "do everything necessary to bolster the deterrence force of Cyprus."
The weapons acquisition comes as Greek Cyprus seeks new defense suppliers after losing access to Russian military hardware due to sanctions following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. A senior Cypriot source told Reuters that existing Russian systems were running short of spare parts and could not be upgraded.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Türkiye invaded following a brief Greek-inspired coup. The internationally recognized government controls the south, while Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Türkiye, controls the northern third of the island.
Greek Cypriot Defense Minister Vasilis Palmas said the Greek Cypriot military had never been stronger and remained on alert due to Turkish military presence on the island. He said no additional measures were needed regarding developments in nearby Syria.
Greek Cyprus previously attempted to upgrade its air defenses in 1998 with Russian S-300 missiles, but diverted the system to Crete after a military standoff with Türkiye.
The development highlights ongoing tensions over the divided island and broader geopolitical alignments in the Eastern Mediterranean, where energy discoveries and strategic positioning have drawn increased international attention.
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