Nearly 100,000 Israelis Left in Two Years as Election Approaches

Tel Aviv University researchers have documented the largest two-year exit of citizens in Israeli history. Their data shows that 99,000 people left the country between January 2023 and December 2024. An upcoming national election may push that number even higher.

Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management, led the study published in February. The team used Central Bureau of Statistics records to count individuals who stayed abroad for at least three consecutive months and spent more than 270 days outside during their first year away. Approximately 50,000 Israelis departed in 2023, while 49,000 left in 2024. Ater stated that preliminary figures indicate the trend continued through 2025.

The period followed the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in 250 hostages being taken. Israel responded with a major military campaign in the Gaza Strip. Although a fragile ceasefire took effect in October 2025, Israeli forces still control about 60 percent of the enclave and conduct regular operations there.

Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, described the daily reality for residents in that region. She still hears rocket fire regularly and said many of her friends have relocated to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India. Ben-Porat said she dreams of leaving but currently lacks the financial means to do so.

Ater noted that the past three years have brought war, economic instability, and a prime minister whose corruption trial began in 2020 without a verdict. He said many Israelis are asking themselves if they want to raise their children in such a country. Ater added that he sympathizes with those who answer no.

The departure data reveals a specific demographic trend. The study found a sharp rise in the number of doctors, Ph.D. holders, and engineers leaving in 2023 and 2024. Specifically, there were net departures of 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater warned that Israel's economy relies on this human capital across tech, academia, and health care sectors.

Business leaders are also adjusting to the climate. Liam Schwartz, who heads corporate immigration at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some firms face pressure from non-Israeli investors. These investors are concerned about the viability of operating from Israel and are pushing companies to shift parts of their workforce to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced this discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the Supreme Court's powers.

Schwartz stated that many companies feel the Israeli government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract. He called the October vote a potential watershed moment for whether emigration rates rise further.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking power again in the upcoming election. Polls suggest his far-right bloc will fall short of the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party is positioned to win the most seats but is also expected to fall short of a majority. Because coalitions are usually required, the real political maneuvering often begins after the vote, a process at which Netanyahu has long been considered skilled.

Ater warned that without a change in political direction, emigration numbers could climb sharply. He described the situation as a strategic risk to Israel as a democracy and a liberal country, noting it is a concern for the Middle East and the wider world.