ISRAELIS ABROAD BOOK FLIGHTS TO VOTE IN ELECTION

Israelis living abroad are travelling home to vote in Tuesday’s election, with some planning to stay for only a day. Israeli law generally requires citizens to vote in person in Israel, with limited exceptions for diplomats and certain official emissaries. AID Coalition, a US-based non-profit organisation, expects tens of thousands to return for the vote. Campaigns, celebrities and social media users have urged eligible voters overseas to make the journey.

Yael Natra said she spent thousands of dollars travelling from Toronto to Tel Aviv after two decades in which she chose not to vote in Israeli elections. She said she plans to support parties outside the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The Israel that I grew up in is disappearing,” Natra said, citing concerns about democracy and divisions in society. Yuval has changed plans for a post-army trip through South America to reach her polling station. Neria, who lost friends in the October 7 attacks, has returned from New York to Tel Aviv, while Ido Eitan plans to spend just 24 hours in Israel after travelling from New York.

The election is Israel’s first since the 2023 Hamas-led attacks and the ensuing wars in the region. Israel has more than 7.3 million registered voters, and polling cited ahead of the election suggests a close race. Returning voters face airfare, time away from work, transport and accommodation costs. Mairav Zonszein, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, said Israelis who have left the country may be more exposed to hostility towards it abroad, which could influence their votes.