Newsroom
Israeli Ambassador to Cyprus Oren Anolik is preparing to leave the country after five years in office, describing his time on the island as one of the most meaningful chapters of his life and saying Cyprus will retain a special place in his heart.
Anolik arrived in Cyprus in August 2021 and presented his credentials to President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, who welcomed him with the words, “Welcome home.”
Five years later, the ambassador said those words had taken on a personal meaning as he prepares to return to Israel and reunite with his family.
Writing about his departure, Anolik described the experience as bittersweet. While he is looking forward to returning to Israel and beginning the next stage of his life, he said leaving Cyprus meant saying goodbye to a country that had become deeply important to him.
When he first arrived, Anolik said he did not know anyone on the island. He is now leaving with hundreds of friends and thousands of acquaintances, pointing to the personal connections he developed across Cypriot society.
He recalled that in Nicosia he can walk into almost any restaurant and encounter someone he knows, something he said does not happen to him in Tel Aviv.
For Anolik, that experience reflects the importance placed on personal relationships in Cyprus. During his tenure, he met politicians, public officials, businesspeople, academics, journalists, artists, members of the Jewish community and many other residents who welcomed him into their homes and lives.
He described those friendships as one of the greatest gifts he will take back to Israel.
Expanding cooperation
Alongside his personal experience, Anolik's role involved representing Israel and working to strengthen bilateral relations with Cyprus.
He said cooperation between the two countries had continued to develop during his five-year tenure, covering areas including security and defence, energy, trade and investment, tourism, health, agriculture, climate, water, emergency management, science and innovation.
The ambassador credited colleagues, partners and friends in both countries for the progress achieved, stressing that the work could not be attributed to any one individual.
He described Israel and Cyprus as natural partners, citing their geographical proximity in the Eastern Mediterranean, shared interests and common challenges.
But he argued that the relationship extends beyond strategic cooperation, pointing to the growing movement of people between the two countries, as well as connections between researchers, entrepreneurs, doctors, farmers and families.
Herzog visit
Anolik also referred to Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Cyprus on September 10 as a recent example of the close relationship between the two countries.
He said watching Herzog receive a warm welcome from President Nikos Christodoulides reinforced his view of the strength of the bilateral relationship. According to Anolik, the visit reflected the close ties between the two countries and their shared interest in developments in the region and beyond.
He said the visit also demonstrated that the relationship between Israel and Cyprus is not dependent on a particular ambassador, government or political moment.
Looking back on his tenure, Anolik said he was particularly proud to have contributed to strengthening bilateral ties and expressed his gratitude to the Cypriot authorities, members of the diplomatic corps and people across the island who supported that effort.
For him, diplomacy was not only about agreements, official meetings and projects. It was also about trust, communication, listening during disagreements and friendships capable of lasting through difficult periods.
‘Until we meet again’
As he prepares to conclude his posting, Anolik thanked his government for entrusting him with the role and praised the team at the Israeli Embassy in Nicosia for its dedication.
He also expressed his gratitude to the people of Cyprus for making him feel at home.
He leaves, he said, with memories and friendships that he hopes will last a lifetime, as well as confidence in the future of relations between Israel and Cyprus.
“The foundations are strong,” he said, adding that there is significant potential and a commitment to cooperation on both sides.
Anolik acknowledged that the two countries will face challenges in the future but said he remains confident that their friendship will continue to grow.
Reflecting on the welcome he received in August 2021, he said that five years later he could genuinely say he had felt at home in Cyprus.
He ended his farewell message with a direct thank-you to the island and its people, saying Cyprus would always hold a special place in his heart.
To his Cypriot friends, his final message was that his departure should not be seen as goodbye, but simply as “until we meet again.”
