The Great Schlep: Israelis Are Flying Back to Vote

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are making costly, lengthy trips home to vote in an election many regard as a turning point. Israel generally bars citizens overseas from absentee voting, requiring them to cast ballots at the polling place tied to their last address in the country. The contest pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition against a bloc led by centrist Gadi Eisenkot, amid anger over Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul, the failure to prevent the October 7 Hamas attacks, and the Gaza war. An American-Israeli democracy group has organized affordable commercial flights, while conferences and a technology event scheduled around election day are also drawing expatriates.

Overseas voters are often assumed to be secular, educated, and opposed to Netanyahu, though reliable polling on their views is limited. Likud has challenged the flight effort as unlawful voter inducement, and reports of possible airport restrictions have heightened concern that returning voters could face obstacles. Organizers say their efforts are nonpartisan, but some travelers openly see voting as a defense of Israeli democracy; others are choosing strategically among parties to shape a future coalition. Their numbers may not decide the result, but the close race makes each vote potentially consequential. The journeys also spotlight a broader concern: emigration has grown since 2023, including among academics and doctors, and many expatriates are weighing whether Israel remains a place where they can build their lives.