285% spike in Israelis leaving country

The number of Israelis who left the country permanently surged 285 per cent following 7 October, according to data published in the Times of Israel. Reports from Channel 12 News, based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), indicate an unprecedented increase in October 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

Latest reports of the exodus of Israelis confirms data published two months after the 7 October attack which showed that nearly half a million people left Israel. It also showed a significant decline in the number of Jewish immigrants arriving in Israel. A second survey among Israelis living abroad conducted in March by the Hebrew University on the initiative of the World Zionist Organisation revealed that 80 per cent said that they do not intend to return to Israel.

The data from CBS suggests that many Israelis who have the option of a second home abroad choose to relocate during times of heightened conflict, seeking safety and stability elsewhere. This trend stands in stark contrast to the claims made by proponents of Zionism who argue that Israel is the ultimate sanctuary for Jews worldwide.

Instead, the data indicate that it is precisely the existence of Israel and its policies that compel Jews to seek refuge elsewhere, highlighting a paradox in the Zionist narrative.

There was also an increase in Israelis moving abroad in the months before the war, amid mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plan, with an increase of 51 per cent in June-September 2023 compared to 2022.

Despite the initial spike in departures, the trend is said to have reversed in the following months. Between November 2023 and March 2024, 30,000 Israelis left the country permanently, marking a 14 per cent decrease from the same period the previous year. Additionally, there was a 21 per cent decrease in Israelis returning from abroad during this time, with 8,898 returning between October 2023 and March 2024 compared to 11,231 the previous year.

Channel 12 points out that the CBS data counts Israelis who left the country, did not return over the subsequent ten months, and established their lives abroad, thus indicating trends rather than immediate causes. It also notes that the decision to emigrate is complex and not necessarily tied to a single event, as such decisions typically involve several months of planning.

Overall, while the initial aftermath of 7 October saw a sharp rise in permanent departures from Israel, the rate has since stabilised.

Critics of Israel argue that Jews radicalised by Zionism often move to Israel as a fulfilment of biblical prophecy but tend to leave during times of conflict, especially those holding a second passport.

Israel is increasingly concerned about the trend of reverse Jewish migration from occupied Palestine, particularly at a time when the demography of the state is a fundamental issue for the Israeli government and Zionist strategists. The movement of Jews away from Israel threatens the demographic balance Zionist leaders seek to maintain.

READ: Ex-PM Bennett urges Israelis not to leave as economy struggles