War and Politics Drive Record Exodus of 99,000 Israelis

Ninety-nine,000 Israelis departed the country between January 2023 and December 2024, marking the highest recorded departure rate in the nation's history. The figure comes from a study published in February by researchers at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University. They analyzed data from the Central Bureau of Statistics to track residents who stayed abroad for at least three consecutive months and spent more than 270 days outside during their first year.

The departures split nearly evenly between the two years covered by the study. Approximately 50,000 people left in 2023, while 49,000 departed in 2024. Itai Ater, a professor at Tel Aviv University, stated that preliminary figures indicate this pattern continued into 2025. He noted that the country, with a population of about 10 million, has faced war, economic instability, and a prime minister facing corruption trials since 2020.

The 2023 exit wave coincided with the Hamas attack on southern Israel, which killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in the Gaza Strip. A ceasefire took effect in October 2025, but Israel still controls about 60 percent of the enclave and maintains a regular military presence.

Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, said she wants to leave but lacks the resources. She reported hearing rocket fire regularly and said friends have moved to Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India. Ater said he sympathizes with those who question whether to raise children in such conditions.

The study found a sharp rise in departures among professionals, including doctors and engineers. Net departures included 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater warned that Israel's economy depends on this human capital, particularly in the tech industry, academia, and health care.

Liam Schwartz, who heads the corporate immigration department at the law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said companies are moving workforce operations to North America and Europe. He traced the shift to judicial reform proposals from January 2023 that aimed to reduce the Supreme Court's powers. Schwartz said investors feel the government is not meeting its social contract obligations.

Next week's election adds uncertainty to the trend. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking power again, but polls suggest his bloc will not reach the 61 Knesset seats needed to govern. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is positioned to win the most seats but is also expected to fall short of a majority. Ater warned that emigration numbers could rise dramatically if the current political situation does not change.