Monitors and media reports have surfaced claiming that Britain is supplying Israel’s army for its war in Gaza from military bases in Cyprus. The allegations have sparked anger among Cypriots, leading to protests at a British air base on Sunday. Akrotiri, located near Limassol in southern Cyprus, is one of two military sites retained by the British military under the 1960 treaty that granted independence to the island. The Cyprus Peace Council, headed by Charis Pashias, has organized the demonstration against the British base at Akrotiri to condemn the alleged transport of arms to support Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
Since the recent escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict on October 7, locals claim to have witnessed a daily increase in the number of flights from Akrotiri, raising concerns among the Cypriot population. Additionally, there have been growing reports of the presence of thousands of American soldiers stationed in Akrotiri, which has fueled further unrest.
The British Ministry of Defence has provided limited information on Royal Air Force (RAF) flights between Akrotiri and Israel, but has refused to disclose details of the transported goods or US activity from Cyprus. Defence Minister Grant Shapps stated in parliament that the UK would only provide defensive or hostage-recovery-related materiel during the conflict. However, Israeli newspaper Haaretz has reported a spike in the delivery of equipment and arms to Akrotiri. According to the newspaper, the United States Air Force landed 40 heavy-transport aircraft at the base in the first 24 days of the war, while Britain’s Royal Air Force landed an additional 20 heavy-lift planes over the same period.
Declassified UK, a news website focused on British foreign policy, discovered that RAF transport aircraft flew daily from Akrotiri to Tel Aviv between October 13 and 26. Prior to October 7, there were no recorded British military flights from Akrotiri to Israel. These findings have raised concerns among politicians and activists, with British Liberal Democrat peer Meral Hussein-Ece suggesting that the recent landing of an A400M military transport plane at Israel’s Nevatim airbase was unlikely to be delivering humanitarian aid.
Critics argue that the British bases in Cyprus should be handed back to the Cypriots, as they believe that the UK is interfering in another country’s affairs by using these bases. Ersin Tatar, who heads the ethnic Turkish administration in the northern third of the island, stated that the UK can conduct military operations in these regions as it pleases due to the bases acquired in the past.
The Campaign Against Arms Trade has highlighted the use of F-35 jets, jointly produced by the US, UK, and other partners, by Israel to bomb Gaza. Other weaponry involved in the conflict includes M270 rocket launchers and Paveway II guided missiles, which are produced by the US and UK. Equipment transported to and from Cyprus is frequently carried on C-17 Globemaster, A400 Atlas, and C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.
There are also concerns about the lack of transparency regarding the involvement of the ethnic Greek Cypriot government, which controls the island’s southern territory, in the use of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British base housing a US-UK electronic intelligence station, in the Gaza war. While Armed Forces Minister James Heappey stated that Britain informs the Republic of Cyprus about flights to and from Akrotiri “where appropriate,” there is no formal requirement to do so.
Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides denied knowledge of Britain and the US supplying Israel from Akrotiri, stating that the country cannot be used as a base for war operations. However, as the UK’s “sovereign base areas” are technically outside Cyprus, his response may not be referring to them.
British MP Kenny MacAskill criticized the lack of information provided to UK citizens and a sovereign state regarding the activities at Akrotiri, calling it “disgraceful.” He highlighted the complexity of the situation, as both the UK and the US can avoid disclosure by claiming it is the other country’s responsibility. MacAskill emphasized the need for transparency, particularly when war crimes are being perpetrated.
The protests at Akrotiri have drawn hundreds of demonstrators carrying Palestinian and Republic of Cyprus flags, demanding that Cyprus not become a launching pad for aggressive actions by the US, NATO, or the UK. Pashias reiterated that the Cypriot people do not want their country to be involved in the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.
In recent days, the British base has also been used to launch fighter jets attacking Yemen, as it was previously used in Iraq and Syria. Lindsey German, the convenor for the Stop the War Coalition, labeled the British base’s repeated use for supplying arms to Israel and bombing Yemen as “disgraceful.”
The situation raises questions about the transparency and accountability of the British bases in Cyprus and their involvement in conflicts around the world. As the allegations continue to unfold, pressure is mounting for more information and a clearer understanding of the extent of British military activities in Cyprus.
