Israel Holds National Election as Up to 80,000 Citizens Fly Home to Vote

Israel held its first national election since 2022 on Tuesday, with polls showing an extremely tight race between incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top challenger, former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.

As many as 80,000 Israelis living outside the country were expected to return to cast ballots, according to estimates from one group helping to organize citizens living abroad. Israel does not permit voting from overseas, except for those serving in the country's diplomatic missions.

"While not a large block, the 80,000 that may return home to participate could make a big difference in the final count of a very tight election," said Yael Shomer, a professor of political science at Tel Aviv University.

Israel has approximately 7.3 million eligible voters, according to the Washington-based International Foundation for Electoral Systems. Voter turnout in the 2022 election was just above 70%, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee. Pollsters believe turnout could reach as high as 87% this cycle.

Netanyahu, of the Likud party, has served as Prime Minister for 18 years across three separate periods. Eisenkot leads the Yashar party. Both candidates would likely need support from coalition partners to form a government, and some experts believe Israel could, for the first time, emerge directly from an election with a minority government.

Issues driving voter sentiment include security concerns sharpened by the ongoing conflict with Iran, a deep societal divide over the exemption of some ultra-Orthodox men from military conscription, and a contentious plan put forward by Netanyahu that would grant the governing coalition greater control over the judiciary.

"All elections in Israel are energetic, but because this one will have such a meaningful impact on the future of the country it has been especially hard fought," Shomer said. "This election is really about how we see our future, voter turnout will be very high."

An organization called Fly and Vote, set up by the America-Israel Democracy Coalition — a U.S.-based group originally created in 2023 to oppose Likud's judicial reform effort — has helped facilitate travel for Israelis living abroad. The group chartered a flight for Israelis living in Portugal and purchased blocks of tickets for flights from the New York area, though individuals were required to pay for their own seats. Political parties and organizations are prohibited under Israeli law from paying for transportation to the polls.

"Israelis who don't live here still have a stake in what we do, and we want to help them," said Ora Peled-Nakash, the group's co-founder. "We don't take a political position though and we don't tell anyone how to vote, we just help them cast their ballot."

Commercial air access to Israel has also expanded heading into the vote. El Al, long the only Israeli carrier on U.S. routes, has been joined by Arkia and Israir, both of which launched U.S.-Israel service in the past year. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines resumed Israel service following earlier suspensions tied to the Iran conflict, and Lufthansa and British Airways are also operating or restarting routes from Europe.

Seats on El Al flights from JFK or Newark were available in a range from $1,300 to $2,500 as of Sunday, according to research cited by officials tracking the travel surge.

After five elections between 2019 and 2022, the result of Tuesday's vote is expected to shape Israel's political, security, and economic trajectory for years to come — underscoring how consequential, and how closely divided, this election has become.

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