Israelis Return Home Before Vote

Channel 13 reported on Sunday that Ben-Gurion Airport passenger counts show a sharp reversal in travel flows ahead of the Knesset election scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. The data indicates that far more people entered Israel than left the country during the final week before voting.

The station analyzed traffic between October 17 and 27 across three years: 2022, 2025, and 2026. In 2022, the last year Israel held a general election, approximately 323,000 passengers departed. That number dropped to roughly 270,000 in 2025, following the end of the war. In 2026, departures fell to about 245,000. This decrease occurred despite an increase in available aircraft and flight schedules compared to previous years.

Arrivals show a contrasting trend. The station did not report a large-scale airlift of special charter flights to bring voters home. Instead, incoming travelers primarily used standard commercial capacity. The gap between those entering and leaving the country reached more than 90,000 in 2026. In the same period in 2025, the difference was approximately 77,000.

Channel 13 estimated that a net increase of 90,000 passengers equates to roughly two seats in the 120-member Knesset, assuming all individuals were eligible voters who cast valid ballots. The data does not specify how many travelers returned solely to vote, as totals include children and foreign nationals. The electoral threshold stands at 3.25% of valid votes, meaning small shifts in turnout can determine which parties secure representation.

A recent Fly&Vote survey estimated that about 67,000 Israelis living abroad planned to travel home to vote. This figure was derived from registration data and a voluntary survey, not confirmed arrival records. Most citizens abroad cannot vote remotely and must return to cast ballots. The AID Coalition, which runs the Fly&Vote initiative, faced restricted activities after legal proceedings initiated by the Likud party.

Organizers arranged dedicated flights from New York and Lisbon in August to meet demand among overseas Israelis. Alon Ben-Gurion, grandson of Israel's first prime minister, arrived from the United States with his family to vote in Tiberias, according to Channel 13.

The next step is the general election on Tuesday, where proportional representation will distribute the 120 seats among parties that clear the 3.25% threshold.