Tens of thousands of Israelis abroad expected to fly home to vote in 2026 election

At least 53,000 Israelis living abroad are expected to travel to Israel to vote in the 2026 election, as the Likud withdrew its petition against organizations helping citizens reach the country for Election Day on Tuesday.

The petition against AID Coalition and its Fly&Vote initiative, which aims to help Israeli citizens living abroad reach Israel to participate in the election, was dismissed by agreement of the parties following a hearing before Central Elections Committee chairman and Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg.

The petition was withdrawn following Sohlberg's recommendation. Likud attorney Ilan Bombach subsequently announced that the party was withdrawing the petition.

Under the agreement, ticket prices for flights already being offered through the initiative will remain those set by the airlines, and no additional flights will be sold through the initiative. The parties also agreed that the judge would rule on legal costs. The respondents were ordered to pay NIS 10,000 in expenses.

Likud had argued in its petition, among other things, that the initiative's activities involved providing a benefit intended to influence voters' choices. The respondents countered that their activities did not include any financial benefit or other benefit with economic value.

Tens of thousands of Israelis abroad expected to return home for Election Day

During the hearing, it emerged that, according to the initiative, it assists no more than approximately 500 to 600 citizens, all of whom pay full price for their airline tickets, without any subsidy from the organization.

Following the dismissal of the petition, Fly&Vote welcomed the decision and said it would continue working intensively with the aim of "turning every Israeli into an Israeli vote" and helping reduce the obstacles preventing citizens from reaching the ballot box.

The decision comes against the backdrop of figures Fly&Vote published in September indicating record involvement among Israelis living abroad. The initiative estimated that at least 53,000 Israelis residing overseas are expected to travel to Israel to exercise their right to vote.

A broad survey conducted by the initiative among approximately 17,500 Israelis outside Israel found that 72% of respondents said they intended to travel to Israel for Election Day in order to vote. Fifty-eight percent had already purchased airline tickets and arranged their travel to Israel.

The figures showed a significant increase and a growing determination to turn intention into action. In a survey conducted in March, only 45% said they would make every effort to travel to Israel to vote. The latest survey found that 58% already held airline tickets.

About half of respondents also said the initiative's activity encouraged them and directly influenced their decision to board a flight to Israel to vote.

The data further showed that airfare prices were the main obstacle for citizens seeking to vote, cited by 58% of respondents, followed by flight availability at 25% and the security situation in Israel.

Initiative to increase open market supply of flights in response to petition

In its response to the petition, the initiative said that following an increase in the supply of flights on the open market, it had shelved most of its planned activity and was now left with only five or six flights.

Under the commitments given to the Central Elections Committee, the organization may provide information about required documents, operate WhatsApp groups, run a search engine for commercial flights and offer a general legal assistance hotline. It may also station volunteers in the arrivals hall at Ben-Gurion Airport, provided that they do not offer services with monetary value or engage in election campaigning.

The organization also committed not to subsidize or discount airline tickets, provide transportation or coordinate accommodation for participants, or operate its planned paid-volunteering program. It may sell full-price tickets only for the six flights already under consideration.

"The data clearly show that Israelis living abroad are still Israelis first and foremost - involved and caring, not only in words but also in actions," AID Coalition President Yonatan Bar-Sadeh said.

"Fly&Vote will continue working to reduce and remove the obstacles on their way to the ballot box, and to enable every Israeli citizen, woman and man, to exercise their basic right to vote."