Protests erupt in Cyprus during visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog

On Thursday, September 10, 2026, dozens of citizens gathered outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia to protest the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Cyprus. The demonstration was organized by the Pancyprian Peace Council, alongside various anti-war and activist groups, as a show of opposition to the government's diplomatic stance toward Israel during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Participants marched with Palestinian flags, placards, and banners, chanting slogans such as "Freedom to Palestine." During the event, Tasos Kosteas, president of the Pancyprian Peace Council, sharply criticized the administration of President Nikos Christodoulides for hosting Herzog. Speakers at the rally argued that strengthening ties with Israel undermines Cyprus's security interests and negatively impacts efforts to resolve the long-standing Cyprus dispute. They specifically rejected the notion that Israel serves as a strategic ally in achieving national liberation.

Local authorities had implemented enhanced security measures across the city throughout the day, with a heavy police presence noted around the Presidential Palace to manage traffic and maintain order. The protest remained focused on expressing dissent against the state's foreign policy and military cooperation with Israel, with organizers dismissing official justifications for the visit as unrealistic.