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The government must explain itself to the residents of the areas where the joint exercise between the National Guard and the forces of Israel took place, AKEL said in a statement, describing the exercise as a rehearsal for Israel's military operations against neighbouring friendly states.
"The recent exercise of the Israeli army on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus constitutes a new dangerous development. Cities and populated areas of the country cannot be turned into training grounds for any foreign army," he notes, adding that "Nor is it possible for Cyprus to invalidate itself by cooperating with a foreign army that has decades of occupation, colonization, crimes and violations of international law in its CV, the same that our country continues to be subjected to by occupying Turkey."
The government, AKEL continues, "owes explanations to the inhabitants of the areas that experienced the dramatic scene with the Israeli army in the streets carrying out an exercise of clearing residential areas. It owes explanations to the Cypriot people, if they consider the dangers created by the involvement of Cyprus in the military plans of the Israeli state and by the use of Cypriot territory for rehearsing military operations against neighbouring friendly states."
"The theory that if Cyprus gives land and water either to Israel or to the USA or to any other third party, they will return us with support against Turkey, has been repeatedly refuted. Neither the militarization of regional partnerships nor the transformation of the National Guard into supporting personnel of the Israeli army serve the interests and security of our country and our people. It is in Cyprus' interest that our island becomes a bridge of peace and not a base or training ground for foreign armies," concludes the AKEL statement.
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