Theodor Herzl begged and begged and begged the British government to let him have Cypress, he intended to train a Jewish Army there and then invade and occupy Palestine by force – take a look:
The Complete Diaries Of Theodor Herzl 1023
We would rally on Cyprus and one day go over to Eretz Israel and take it by force, as it was taken from us long ago. But I slept on this all-too-lurid idea, and the night brought me the decision that at this moment the wisest thing was to say nothing.