TFI Press Release
AJC' s Transatlantic Friends of Israel Opens Cypriot Chapter Strengthening Links between Cyprus, Israel and the U.S.
Nicosia – 30 September 2026
The Transatlantic Friends of Israel (TFI)—the interparliamentary, cross-party network established by American Jewish Committee in 2019 — today launched its Cypriot chapter to strengthen the ties between Cyprus, Israel and the United States. TFI Cyprus announced its opening with MP Nicholas Papadopoulos (Democratic Party) serving as Chair, and MPs Charalambos Petrides (Democratic Rally), George Karoullas (Democratic Rally) and Sotiris Ioannou (ELAM) as Vice-Chairs.
The opening lunch was attended by over 50 guests, including Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, Oren Anolik, the Ambassador of Israel, and John A. Breslow, U.S. Ambassador. Prominent members of the Cypriot business and cultural sectors, as well as representatives of the Jewish community were also present.
The Brussels-based EU office of American Jewish Committee, AJC Transatlantic Institute, first launched TFI in the European Parliament in July 2019. The group today includes some 154 parliamentarians with chapters existing in the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, Italy and Austria.
“Cyprus and Israel are close neighbors in the Eastern Mediterranean, with rapidly expanding cooperation in energy, tourism, technology, and defence. This relationship has rightly evolved into a strategic partnership, driven by a mutual interest in a stable and prosperous region,” said Benedetta Buttiglione, AJC Transatlantic Institute Director, at the opening.
“The new TFI chapter in the House of Representatives of Cyprus will serve as the parliamentary engine for this cooperation. It provides a practical forum for lawmakers of both sides of the Atlantic and from different political backgrounds to exchange ideas, build strong working relationships, and address common challenges together,” Buttiglione continued.
“My colleagues and I come from different political parties. We certainly do not agree on everything. But we completely agree on this: we acknowledge that the steps taken by the previous government, as well as the current government, in strengthening our relations with both the United States of America and Israel, was absolutely the right thing to do. It is right for Cyprus, it is right for the region and right for the Middle East,” TFI Cyprus Chair Papadopoulos explained the rationale for opening the Chapter.
“Cyprus has a significant role in the Eastern Mediterranean and we must continue to invest in dialogue, strategic cooperation and practical collaboration with Israel, the U.S., Greece and Europe,” Vice-Chair Petrides added.
“This initiative is timely and necessary, because the trilateral alliance between Cyprus, Israel and the US is paramount in the current geopolitical environment – in terms of defence, military training, intelligence, cybersecurity, trade, technology, healthcare and energy. I am enthusiastic to be part of it,” Vice-Chair Ioannou stressed.
American Jewish Committee (AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, creating trusted partnerships with leaders around the world to ensure Jews and Israel are safe and thriving. With an unparalleled reach spanning six continents, AJC engages leaders in more than 110 countries through 40 offices and dozens of partnerships with Jewish communities worldwide. For more, please visit www.ajc.org.
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