Why Cyprus Is Hunting 'Palestinians' as Far as Indonesia
The neighbouring countries of Cyprus and Greece have recently become increasingly active in hunting individuals of Palestinian descent, accusing them of involvement with the Palestinian resistance group Hamas. This pursuit, which has extended as far as Indonesia, is linked to the growing cooperation between these nations and Israel.
In June, a judge in Greece ordered the pre-trial detention of a Palestinian man accused of being part of a Hamas-linked network planning attacks against Israeli targets in Europe and Asia, according to legal and police sources. The 37-year-old suspect, who denies the charges, was arrested on 6 June on the island of Crete in a joint operation involving Greek intelligence and the police anti-terrorism unit. Police seized mobile phones, a laptop, and a hard drive from his residence, and investigators found evidence that he had ordered materials online that could be used to make explosives, though he had not yet received them. His lawyer argued the evidence was weak and inconsistent, stating the defendant’s character and mindset do not reflect a criminal or terrorist profile and that he is being made a scapegoat in a case full of significant gaps.
The arrest in Greece followed the detention of two Palestinians, aged 32 and 38, in Cyprus on 22 May. Police said they were being investigated for suspected involvement in terrorism-related activities after bomb-making materials were found during a search. Greek police sources indicated the two cases are linked, with one of the suspects detained in Cyprus telling authorities he believed their recruiters were planning attacks in Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia, where they had undergone explosives training. The 37-year-old man arrested in Crete arrived in Greece in 2023 after living in Gaza for many years and had been granted asylum. Investigations revealed he travelled to Malaysia in 2025 and met with one of the men later detained in Cyprus.
Intelligence consultant Yaakov Chaliotis wrote in the Times of Israel that Cyprus has become a trusted partner in the region with strong EU ties, offering Israel proximity without dependency and a deep relationship without binding obligations. Following the events of 7 October, Cyprus served as a refuge and transit point for Israelis and foreign nationals fleeing the area, with Reuters reporting mass arrivals of American citizens from Israel. The island is just a forty-minute flight from Tel Aviv. Cyprus also holds significance for darker reasons, having become a frequent arena in the shadow war against Iran. Since 2021, there have been repeated arrests of alleged Iranian spies based on Mossad intelligence, though few of these cases have resulted in court convictions. Sylvain Henry, a Greek writer working with the Cyprus Refugee Council, also noted the deepening Israel-Cyprus cooperation, reporting that in late December, Israel, Greece, and Cyprus agreed on a new framework to deepen defence cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean region.