Cyprus Parliament Faces Scrutiny Over Israel Allies Foundation Group

Parliamentary spokesman Giorgos Loukaides sent a letter to House president Annita Demetriou demanding an explanation for the launch of a cross‑party group of MPs working with the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF) in the Pentadaktylos conference room. Loukaides questioned who requested the space, who approved its use, who paid for the event and what commitments the MPs have taken. He called the formation “unprecedented” and urged the House institutions committee to examine whether the code of conduct covers MPs joining networks that promote third‑country interests. The IAF, founded in 2007 by Rabbi Benny Elon, campaigns for an undivided Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, a stance that conflicts with UN Security Council Resolution 478. The event follows a similar row in Greece, where opposition parties demanded an explanation after a reported IAF meeting in Athens. Six MPs from Diko, Disy and Elam announced the IAF group, later meeting President Nikos Christodoulides. Disy defended the move as a strategic choice, while Pantelides, head of the Cyprus chapter, said members pay their own costs and disclose any funded trips. The letter notes that European Parliament rules bar informal groups on third‑country agendas from using its facilities and calls for a clear framework covering disclosure of funding and use of parliamentary resources.