Viral clips of 'promised land' dissected

At the time, one viral clip shows a man impersonating an ultra-Orthodox Jew, declaring in Hebrew: “God promised us Cyprus after Israel,” while saying that Israelis are buying up property “non-stop". Another shows him replying to a question about “stealing homes” with the line: “If we don’t steal them, someone else will,” as Hava Nagila plays in the background. A third video features the same character in a prayer shawl, stating, “Cyprus was promised to us 3,500 years ago; finally, I’m home.”

The statements in the viral Cyprus videos mirror patterns seen in occupied Palestine, where some settlers justify taking land and homes through historical or religious claims, often framing settlement expansion as a competitive or preemptive act, and invoking biblical or ancestral narratives to legitimize their presence on Palestinian territory.

Moreover, these posts tap into a growing online grievance that Israeli investors are driving up real estate prices and displacing locals, with one widely shared claim asserting, “Cypriots can’t afford homes for themselves or their children anymore. The Israelis are buying everything.”

Official statistics count about 2,500 Israelis in Cyprus, though many enter using European passports, making true figures difficult to track. Some estimates suggest the number could be as high as 15,000, with many purchasing property reportedly for investment purposes rather than residence, as per Israeli media.

any material or human losses.

At the time, Hezbollah compiled a comprehensive file on Lebanon’s oil, gas, and maritime borders and stressed the need for a united domestic front to protect national interests. Lebanese officials and the public were called upon to act in unison to safeguard the country’s wealth, with Sayyed Nasrallah asserting that resistance, rather than UN resolutions, is the only means to confront Israeli aggression and secure Lebanon’s resources.

Gas theft from disputed fields ongoing

However, natural gas began flowing from the Karish North field on February 22, 2024, roughly sixty miles off the northern coast of "Israel", to the Energean Power, a massive floating production and storage vessel (FPSO) operated by Energean. The gas is processed onboard before being piped ashore near Haifa, while gas liquids, essentially oil, are stored for export to international markets. This operation allows "Israel" to exploit resources from disputed maritime areas, further consolidating control over offshore energy fields at Lebanon’s expense.

The Karish and Karish North fields, though smaller than the Leviathan and Tamar fields, are being used strategically to secure "Israel’s" energy supply, including during the genocide in Gaza when production from Tamar stalled.

Corporate involvement, controversy

Critics argue that companies such as Energean and British BP p.l.c. play a role in sustaining "Israel’s" occupation. Energean has partnered with "Israel" since 2012 on projects including the Tanin Field and Karish facility. BP has expanded exploration in Palestinian maritime zones, which critics say are illegally exploited.

In July 2025, Francesca Albanese described such corporate involvement as part of the “economy of genocide,” insisting that there were firms and people “that have profited from the violence, the killing, the maiming, the destruction in Gaza and other parts of the occupied Palestinian territory”.

“One people enriched, one people erased,” she said.

“Clearly, for some, genocide is profitable,” Albanese declared.

Regional geopolitics

"Israel’s" energy and strategic projects have broader regional implications. Agreements to supply gas to Egypt and Cyprus not only generate revenue but also consolidate "Israel’s" influence in neighboring countries with weak economies. 

Palestinian authorities and rights groups maintain that Israeli energy projects in disputed waters violate Gaza’s maritime zones, underscoring the intersection of strategic, economic, and human rights concerns. The Eastern Mediterranean is a seemingly complex legal and political landscape, but specific legal challenges to projects such as the Energean pipeline remain largely documented by NGOs and media outlets.

 Looking ahead

The "Israel"–Cyprus axis is set to deepen, encompassing defense, energy, and economic cooperation. 

For Palestinians and Lebanese, these developments are more than geopolitical maneuvering; they reflect the ongoing dispossession and resource exploitation inherent in "Israel’s" occupation.

The Energean pipeline, along with the corporate and governmental actors enabling it, exemplifies the broader challenges to Palestinian and Lebanese sovereignty in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Source:Websites