Turkish Cypriots reject ‘malicious’ Israel allegation

Turkish Cypriot officials have denied an "unfounded and malicious allegation" by Israel that Iran was using the Turkish-occupied northern part of Cyprus for "terrorism objectives".

The "foreign ministry" of the breakaway north released the statement on Monday after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a day earlier that Israel helped Cyprus foil an Iranian-ordered attack against Israelis and Jews on the island.

His office gave no details of the planned attack but the statement on behalf of the Mossad intelligence service said Israel was troubled by what it saw as Iranian use of northern Cyprus "both for terrorism objectives and as an operational and transit area".

"The Israeli government continues to make statements that are inconsistent with the facts to distract international public opinion from its inhumane attacks in Gaza and the West Bank,"...