Election ads targeting Israeli tourists have triggered controversy over foreign political campaigning in Greek Cypriot side of island.
Campaign billboards supporting an Israeli opposition politician have triggered controversy in the Greek Cypriot Administration, irking locals over Israel's growing presence and prompting calls for tighter rules on foreign political campaigning.
The large roadside advertisements promote Gadi Eisenkot, the former Israeli military chief who leads Israel's Yashar party, near Larnaca airport ahead of Israel's parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct. 27.
Placed along routes used by travelers to and from the airport, the campaign targets Israeli citizens visiting the Greek Cypriot side of the island during the holiday season.
Reports suggest that about 590,000 Israelis visited the Greek Cypriot Administration in 2025, making Israel the second-largest tourism source after the UK and accounting for about 13% of all tourist arrivals.
One Hebrew sign welcomes tourists with the message, "Israelis, enjoy! You deserve it," while another targets travelers with the message, "Landed? Had fun? Now come back and win!"
According to the Cyprus Mail, Eisenkot's campaign confirmed the billboards are part of its official overseas outreach effort, designed to encourage Israelis vacationing abroad to participate in the election.
The campaign has drawn criticism from politicians who argue that election advertising by foreign political parties should not be permitted in the Greek Cypriot Administration.
Criticizing the billboards, independent member of the European Parliament Fidias Panayiotou said: "This photo was not taken in Israel, but in my country … This time is political propaganda, but it is also becoming increasingly common to see billboards advertising real estate in Hebrew across the island. This is simply not right.”
In a separate video, Panayiotou denounced the advertisements and also warned of concerns related to Israelis acquiring land.
"This is not okay. We need to be careful in Cyprus for not one third country to come and slowly, slowly to get important land," he said, as he shared news stories of Israelis buying land, with a headline warning of a "form of colonization."
