Expat Israelis Surge Home to Vote Ahead of 26th Kneset Elections
With five days until the 26th Kneset elections, the Fly&Vote initiative reports about 67,000 expatriates plan to return to Israel to vote, following a settled legal dispute with Likud.
With just five days remaining until the elections for the 26th Kneset, the Fly&Vote initiative reports a significant surge in the number of expatriate Israelis planning to return home to cast their ballots. According to a new survey published on Thursday by the initiative, operated by the AID Coalition, approximately 67,000 Israelis are preparing to arrive ahead of Tuesday's vote, up from an earlier estimate of 53,000.
Survey Findings and Demographics
The survey, conducted between October 12 and 21 among some 23,000 respondents, found that 79.6% intend to travel to Israel for the elections, compared to just 14% who reported doing so in the 2022 elections. Organizers emphasize, however, that this is a voluntary survey and not a representative sample, with the 67,000 figure based on registration data rather than actual arrivals.
Data shows that 48% of respondents are arriving from the USA, 37% from European nations, 5% from Canada, and 2% from Australia and New Zealand. Approximately 70% of participants stated that the initiative directly influenced their decision to travel.
Legal Background and Impact
The figures emerge weeks after the Likud party dropped its legal challenge against the initiative. While Likud argued that assisting with travel could constitute illegal voter inducements, the petition ended in a compromise before Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Solberg, barring the subsidization of tickets while allowing logistical assistance to continue.
"The future of the State of Israel is important to them to the extent that they take time off from work or studies," said Yehonatan Bar Sadeh, president of the AID Coalition.
If the projection materializes, the influx could account for roughly 1.7 mandates based on an estimated 40,000 votes per mandate, though their ultimate distribution depends on voting patterns and the electoral threshold.
