A Cyprus trial may finally move the European Union to mark Hezbollah as a terror group, after a defendant admitted the organization pushed him to seek out Jewish and Israeli targets. Hossam Taleb Yaacoub, 24, was arrested in 2012 under suspicion he planned to carry out a terror attack, an accusation the Lebanese and Swedish passport holder denies. In court this week, however, he admitted that Hezbollah officials instructed him to locate kosher shops in Cyprus and sent him to European cities with large Jewish …More

Lise Stern, JNS.org In America, those seeking to avoid large-scale weddings often elope to Las Vegas. In Israel, there are couples that elope to Cyprus—but for legal reasons, rather than for convenience or their personal taste. Civil marriages are currently not a viable option in the Jewish state, as all weddings must be overseen by a religious authority. “There is no formal civil marriage option in Israel,” writes Zvi Triger in Civil Marriages and Cohabitation of Jews Enter the Rabbinical …More

An Israeli researcher is among three recipients of the newly minted Marie Curie Prize. Dr. Sarit Sivan was awarded the honor under the category of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, joining fellow honorees Gkikas Magiorkinis of Greece and Claire Belcher of the UK. Sivan is a senior research fellow at the Technion University. She was awarded the prize for her work restoring biomechanical functions in spinal columns. The winners were announced this week in Cyprus by the European Commission. "We have created this …More

A bomb plot against Israelis was thwarted in Cypress, according to leaked reports yesterday. A case carrying 100 grams of pink powder explosives was discovered at the Cypriot port of Limassol. Authorities believe it was intended for cruise ships carrying Israeli tourists, the newspaper Alithia reported. Some insiders say the leak of the information could be meant to act as a warning that there is intelligence pointing to a possible attack in the future. “The find may not be linked to Israelis at all, but …More

Turkey accused Israel of violating the airspace of Northern Cyprus five times last week. The area is reportedly a site of oil and gas exploration being claimed by both halves of the island. "A plane belonging to Israel, the model of which could not be identified, violated KKTC [Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus] airspace [above its territorial waters] five times," the Turkish high command said in a statement. "In response to this situation, our 2XF-16 plane based at Incirlik was scrambled and our planes …More

Israel, Cyprus and Greece have signed an agreement to build an underwater electric cable between the three countries. The project would not only ensure energy security for all involved, it would provide Israel with a channel to export energy to mainland Europe. Israeli Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau signed a memorandum of understanding Sunday with the chairman of Cypriot company DEH Quantum Energy Athanasios Ktoridis, Israel Electric Corporation officials, Cypriot Ambassador Dimitris Hatziargyrou and Greek …More

During the first visit to Cyprus by an Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of a joint pipeline to export Mediterranean natural gas to Europe and Asia. Netanyahu and President Demetris Christofias today discussed how the two countries could continue their energy cooperation. "I came here to develop our bilateral ties, our economic ties in the field of energy," said Netanyahu after talks in Nicosia. “We are looking at the possibility—we haven’t taken a …More

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to Cyprus on Thursday, marking the first time an Israeli prime minister has ever visited the island nation. [Jerusalem Post]     More than 135 years after its blades stopped turning, the Moses Monefiore Windmill will again become operational after a renovation. [Jerusalem Post]     Simulators are playing a larger role in Israeli Air Force training as the department deals with budget cuts. [Ynet]     A 140-year-old model of …More

The leader of Cyprus’ Orthodox Christian church and Israel’s chief rabbi signed a joint declaration aimed at forging closer bonds between the two country’s citizens Tuesday. Arcbhishop Chrysostomos II and Rabbi Yonah Metzger signed the declaration in the Cypriot capital, stating: "We … give thanks to God for the blessed increase of this mutual respect and affirm our commitment to advancing these excellent relations between Cyprus and Israel.” "We acknowledge with regret that such …More

Any gas finds in the Mediterranean Sea are no threat to Turkey, Israeli President Shimon Peres said in Cyprus on Thursday. In comments designed to reduce tensions with the former ally, who opposes the drilling, Peres said that the wealth gained will be used to better the region, rather than finance attacks on neighbors. "We look upon gas not as power, but as an occasion to better the life of the people and not to try to win strengths to threaten other people," Peres said after talks with Cypriot President …More

More evidence that Turkey’s neo-Ottoman campaign to isolate Israel is backfiring badly: Cypriot media outlets reported last week that Israel was conducting Air Force exercises with its Greek Cypriot counterpart over the Mediterranean and Greek island. The exercise is being seen by some reports as a “message to Turkey,” which has repeatedly threatened both Israel and Cyprus over deep-sea drilling in the Mediterranean. Greek Daily Phileleftheros published a document detailing the Israeli-Cypriot …More

An Israeli official said on Saturday that there was no political agenda behind its decision to hold a military drill in Cyprus airspace, denying allegations it way trying to “send a message” to Turkey, Cyprus’s longtime enemy, the Cyprus Mail reported. Tensions have been high between Israel and Turkey after Israel refused to apologize for a deadly flotilla raid last year, in which Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish citizens. The United Nations released a report last month stating that …More