For weeks, giant Israeli election billboards have lined the motorways linking Cyprus's main international airport with its beach resorts, turning the island’s roads into an unlikely campaign trail and prompting a backlash from residents.
The Hebrew-language signs feature Gadi Eisenkot, Israel's former military chief and leader of the opposition Yashar party, urging Israelis holidaying in Cyprus to return home and vote in the October 27 election.
One tells travellers: “Israelis, enjoy your holiday. You deserve it.” Another, positioned for traffic heading back towards the airport, asks: “Rested? Had fun? Now come back and let’s win!”
The billboards sprang up this summer as part of a campaign targeting Israeli voters while they were holidaying abroad.
“They’re all over the place. Shame on Cyprus,” said a resident of Larnaca, where the island's main international airport is located.
The billboards have prompted a torrent of reaction in Cypriot media and on social media, where some users have questioned why an Israeli political campaign is being displayed so prominently in the country.
Fidias Panayiotou, a Cypriot Member of the European Parliament, has called for legislation banning advertising in Cyprus by political parties contesting elections outside the country.
Sharing a photograph of one of the billboards, Mr Panayiotou wrote: “This photo was not taken in Israel but in my country, Cyprus.” Another picture shared widely on social media shows the same poster apparently defaced, with Mr Eisenkot's face splashed with red paint resembling blood, while red, green and other colours associated with the Palestinian flag are smeared across the billboard.
'Political propaganda'
The politician highlighted the increasing visibility of Hebrew-language advertising more generally, including for property.
“This time it 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. We must defend Cyprus's sovereignty,” Mr Panayiotou wrote.
The issue is particularly sensitive in Cyprus, which has been divided since Turkey invaded the island in 1974. The internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus controls the south, while Turkish forces remain in the north, where the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is recognised only by Turkey.
In a video, Mr Panayiotou said the proposed amendment would prohibit outdoor advertising promoting, supporting or calling for a vote for a candidate or political party taking part in an election outside Cyprus.
The issue has also exposed a gap in the island's regulation of political advertising.
The Interior Ministry has said there is “no legal framework under its competence to regulate advertising for elections or advertising in general”, while Caro, the country's advertising self-regulatory body, has said there is “no framework governing the content displayed on commercial billboards”.
Niche Advertising, the company that rented out the billboard space, has defended the campaign as a commercial transaction. “The Israelis are investing greatly in Cyprus,” the company said, adding there was “nothing in the law prohibiting this”.
The controversy comes as Cyprus has become an increasingly important destination for Israelis, both as a holiday destination and as a nearby refuge when regional fighting disrupts flights.
Israeli tourists are a significant market for the island, accounting for one out of five in July, while Israeli demand for property has grown strongly, especially in the coastal cities of Larnaca, Limassol and Paphos.
Property, tourism and politics
The numbers have raised concerns among Cypriots about housing costs and foreign ownership. Hebrew-language property advertising has become increasingly common, while Israeli-backed residential developments and other investments have attracted scrutiny from politicians and activists.
The issue has at times spilt into disputes over the behaviour of Israeli tourists. In 2019, a British teenager accused 12 Israelis of rape in the tourist resort of Ayia Napa before withdrawing her allegation after police questioning. She was subsequently convicted of public mischief but the conviction was overturned in 2022. In 2025, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Cyprus had violated her rights, finding serious failings in the investigation.
A separate case involving five Israeli men accused of gang-raping a British tourist in Ayia Napa in 2023 ended with their acquittal in 2025. The prosecution appealed.
The cases have contributed to a broader debate in Cyprus about the effects of mass tourism, policing and the behaviour of foreign visitors.
The billboard dispute comes as political tension over Cyprus's relationship with Israel have also increased.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Cyprus this week for talks with President Nikos Christodoulides on security, defence, energy and regional issues. His visit was accompanied by a protest outside the Presidential Palace, where demonstrators accused the government of drawing Cyprus deeper into Israel's regional conflicts.
The Nicosia government has defended close ties with Israel as important to the island's security and economic interests, while opposition groups and activists have called for a more cautious approach.
