Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot is facing criticism from Cypriot politician and member of the European Parliament, Fidias Panayiotou, over a billboard campaign in Cyprus.
Panayiotou took to X/Twitter on Sunday to express his concerns about the billboards.
He stated, "This photo was not taken in Israel, but in my country, Cyprus. This time it is political propaganda, but it is also becoming increasingly common to see billboards advertising real estate in Hebrew across the island.”
Panayiotou concluded, “This is simply not right. We must defend Cyprus's sovereignty.”
Israel's elections are slated for October 27.
The ad campaign consists of a series of billboards located around the airport, making them visible to both arriving and departing travelers. The billboards read: "Israelis, enjoy! You deserve it," accompanied by Eisenkot's photo.
Eisenkot's office informed The Jerusalem Post that the campaign is expected to expand into other countries throughout the summer. They emphasized that the initiative aims to convey a positive message to Israelis about achieving victory in the elections.
Panayiotou's past views on an 'Israeli presence' in Cyprus
This is not the first time Panayiotou has expressed concerns over an Israeli presence in Cyprus.
In May, he raised alarms about what he believes is Israel's aggressive purchase of land on the island through real estate acquisitions and development projects.
At the time, Israeli Ambassador to Cyprus Oren Anolik responded to Panayiotou's comments in a post on X/Twitter, describing them as "deeply concerning."
"The relationship between Israel and Cyprus is built on a foundation of shared values, mutual respect, and a strong friendship," said Anolik. "When political discourse utilizes age-old stereotypes regarding 'foreign economic power' to incite fear, it enters dangerous territory."
Anolik further accused Panayiotou of fueling antisemitism, saying his comments were "baseless" and carry "an undertone of prejudice that should have no place in a modern, democratic European nation."
President of Cyprus's Democratic Party, Nikolas Papadopoulos, also responded to Panayiotou's remarks in an post to X/Twitter, stating the comments were "harmful to our homeland."