Thousands of Israelis Fly Home to Vote Against Netanyahu
Tens of thousands of Israeli expatriates are traveling back to Israel to vote in the upcoming election, driven by dissatisfaction with Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership. Voters cite the handling of the October 7 attacks and the government's right-wing policies as primary motivations.
Why it matters
The mass return of voters suggests a high level of political polarization and a potential turning point for the long-serving Netanyahu administration.
With elections around the corner, tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are travelling to Tel Aviv to vote on Tuesday. Israeli expats are spending thousands of dollars to fly to their home country after years. Their decision to vote reflects concerns over the Benjamin Netanyahu-led government’s handling of the wars in West Asia, its failure to prevent the October 7 (2022) Hamas attacks and its support for exemptions from military service for the ultra-Orthodox community, according to multiple media reports. Netanyahu first became prime minister in 1996 and has since served for about 18 years across six terms, making him Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. An Israeli soldier and settlers look out toward the Palestinian village of al‑Shuyukh from agricultural land near the Gad Natan settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in