Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a joint statement with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulidis at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, thanked Christodoulidis for the security cooperation between the countries, and "for the wonderful work of the Cypriot security services to thwart an attempted attack against Israelis on Cypriot soil." Christodoulidis said that Israel is a strategic ally of Cyprus and that all the residents of the island are grateful for the Israeli assistance in extinguishing recent wild fires - "you are always there by our side in times of need." (Itamar Eichner)