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Public outcry follows Israeli political billboard installation in Cyprus

A giant campaign billboard featuring Gadi Eisenkot, a leading contender for the Israeli premiership and founder of the Yashar party, has appeared on a motorway near Zigi, Cyprus. The placement of the advertisement, which is written in Hebrew and aimed at Israeli voters residing in Cyprus, has sparked significant debate across social media and the public sphere regarding the appropriateness of foreign political campaigning on Cypriot soil.

Prominent figures, including actress and former AKEL parliamentary candidate Melani Steliou, and independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou, have questioned the implications of this development. Critics argue that the billboard highlights a concerning trend of increasing foreign influence and mass property acquisition by Israeli citizens in cities like Limassol, Paphos, and Larnaca. Panayiotou described the situation as serious, suggesting that the existence of such ads implies a significant demographic shift, while questioning if non-EU countries should be allowed to conduct election activities in the country.

While the billboard has become a focal point of public discourse, questions remain regarding who authorized the installation, the funding source, and the specific legal framework governing such foreign political advertising in the Republic of Cyprus.

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