(Israel Hayom) Dore Gold - According to a BBC report, as many as 10,000 foreigners have bought up former Greek Cypriot properties in Northern Cyprus. But what of the legal status of the area? In 1974 the Turkish Army invaded Cyprus and took over 37% of the island, expelling tens of thousands of Greek Cypriots. Over the years, an estimated 160,000 "settlers" from Turkey moved into Northern Cyprus. In many cases, they and Turkish Cypriots sold properties that had been left behind by Greek Cypriot refugees to European buyers, including some 5,000 British citizens, despite its being a clear-cut case of an "occupied territory." Ironically, while the European Union releases harsh statements against Israel for any construction in West Bank settlements, it has nothing to say about tens of thousands of Turkish settlers that have moved into Northern Cyprus. Nor are European governments condemning their own citizens who build beach-front villas in territory under Turkish occupation. The writer, a former Israeli ambassador to the UN, is president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
2013-01-07 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive