Israeli Ambassador: Condemnation of Anti-Semitic Rhetoric, Not Criticism of Israel

The Ambassador of Israel to Cyprus, Oren Anolik, responded to reports of distortion of his statement regarding anti-Semitic rhetoric. In a post on X, Mr. Anolik clarified that his statement on Wednesday, June 25, condemned specific anti-Semitic rhetoric from a political party leader who, according to the ambassador, warned of "uncontrolled sale of real estate to third-country nationals" and the creation of "ghettos" by Israeli citizens.

The ambassador emphasized that these comments were not related to Gaza or the policy of the Israeli Government, but targeted the Jewish community in Cyprus, attempting to instill fear and suspicion. "This is anti-Semitic rhetoric – plain and simple," he stated, adding that he condemned this and nothing more.

Mr. Anolik stressed that criticism of the Israeli Government's policy is legitimate and that many Israelis engage in such criticism. He also referred to numerous statements in Cyprus that have harshly criticized Israel after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which he did not characterize as anti-Semitic.

The ambassador called on Cypriot citizens not to be misled by the distortion campaign and stated that he will continue to speak out when Jewish communities are falsely accused.

Source: CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY