Israeli Expatriates Fly Home for Pivotal Election

Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are expected to fly into the country for Tuesday's pivotal election, which is widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership and the nation's hard-right direction. The AID Coalition estimates up to 67,000 expatriates will return to vote, with about half coming from the United States. Many liberal Israelis who left the country, particularly after the 2023 Hamas-led attacks, are motivated to vote against Netanyahu, citing concerns over eroding democracy and the government's handling of the wars. Israel has over 7.3 million registered voters, and the race is tight. While many returning voters oppose Netanyahu, some expatriates are also coming to support him. A record number of Israelis have left the country in recent years, and some say they hope to return if the government changes.