Tens of Thousands of Israelis Fly Home to Vote — SkimNews
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- Tens of thousands of Israeli expatriates are flying back to Israel from countries including the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. to vote in the upcoming election, citing concerns over democracy and Netanyahu’s leadership.
- AID Coalition estimates up to 67,000 Israelis abroad will return to vote, with about half coming from the U.S., based on surveys and registration data from its 'Fly&Vote' initiative.
- Yael Natra, a 61-year-old Israeli living in Canada, spent thousands of dollars to travel from Toronto to Tel Aviv to vote against Netanyahu, saying the Israel she knew is disappearing due to eroding democracy and societal division.
- Hadar Susskind and four U.S.-based relatives are returning to vote to 'reaffirm Israel’s democracy,' calling for an end to settlement expansion and a halt to actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Eti Wissotzky Cohen, who moved to the U.K. over democratic backsliding, flew back to vote for the centre-left Democrats party, saying the June 2025 war with Iran convinced her the government prioritizes power over people.
- Mairav Zonszein of the International Crisis Group notes that many expatriates, especially those who left after Oct. 7, are more exposed to international isolation and may be motivated to vote out Netanyahu.
- Dahlia Scheindlin, an American-Israeli political analyst, observes that while anti-Netanyahu sentiment drives much of the expatriate mobilization, some pro-Netanyahu expatriates are also returning to vote.
Why it matters: The return of tens of thousands of expatriate voters—many motivated by democratic erosion and opposition to Netanyahu—could shift the election’s outcome in a tight race, directly affecting Israel’s domestic direction and international standing. A change in government could alter policies on Gaza, the West Bank, and relations with allies.
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