Cyprus–Israel relations
Cyprus–Israel relations refer to the bilateral relations between Cyprus and Israel. Israel has an embassy in Nicosia, while Cyprus has an embassy in Tel Aviv. Both countries are members of the Union for the Mediterranean, United Nations, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Cyprus and Israel have extensive collaboration on military, cultural, and political matters. The prospect of a joint use of oil and gas fields off Cyprus, as well as EuroAsia Interconnector, now the world's longest subsea electric power cable have also brought the two countries closer together. History During and immediately after World War II, Cyprus became a transit point for Jewish Holocaust survivors trying to reach Mandate Palestine. Cyprus was then a British Crown Colony. From 1946 to 1949, an estimated 53,000 Jews were detained by the British in camps on Cyprus. Today, relations between Cyprus and Israel are strong. Many Cypriots and Israelis refer to them as Cypriot-Israeli brotherhood. In September 2013, the leader of Democratic Rally Averof Neofytou called for supporting Israel as Cyprus's most reliable partner. Israeli President Shimon Peres called Cyprus Israel's most predictable neighbour. Bilateral relations In the 1980s and 1990s, Cyprus expressed concern over Israel's then close defense relationship with Turkey. Cyprus outwardly backed the Palestinians in the Arab–Israeli conflict and officially recognizes Palestine as a de facto state. Cypriot first lady Androulla Vassiliou, wife of President George Vasiliou, was declared persona non grata in Israel when a delegation she was leading attempted to meet with Yasser Arafat, who was then under house arrest. Relations began to improve in 1993. A number of bilateral agreements were signed and many official visits have taken place including the official State visit by the President of Israel and a reciprocate visit by the President of Cyprus. In the early 2000s, members of the Cypriot branch of the Greek Orthodox Church were accused of selling church-owned land in the West Bank to Israeli developers. In 2010, an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) was set within the territorial waters between Israel and Cyprus at the maritime halfway point, a clarification essential for safeguarding Israel's rights to oil and underwater gas reservoirs. The agreement was signed in Nicosia by Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau and the Cypriot Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou. The two countries agreed to cooperate in the development of any cross border resources discovered, and to negotiate an agreement on dividing joint resources. In February 2012, Netanyahu visited Cyprus, the first visit of an Israeli Prime Minister in history, and the two countries signed a search and rescue agreement. Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman visited Cyprus at the invitation of his Cypriot counterpart when Netanyahu was in Washington, and Lieberman has met with Cyprus foreign minister Kyprianou several times. Energy and natural gas Israeli energy firm Delek Group is seeking to work with Cyprus on natural gas exploration and extraction near the Leviathan gas field off the Israeli coast where Delek is already active.