Israeli "Kan" Channel: One-fifth of Israelis considered leaving the country in the past two years - Sarmad

An Israeli Broadcasting Authority poll revealed growing interest in the phenomenon of reverse emigration from Israel amid escalating regional tensions and the approaching October 2026 election date.

The poll showed that 18% of participants, or roughly one-fifth, had considered leaving Israel in the past two years, compared to 82% who said they had not.

Additionally, about one-third of participants reported knowing someone who had left Israel in the past two years, while roughly two-thirds said they did not know anyone who had departed during the same period.

Regarding the impact of upcoming elections on the decision to stay or leave, 12% of participants stated that election results might influence their decision, while nearly two-thirds believed they would not, and about one-fifth said they were unsure whether the results would affect their choice.

The poll revealed a divide in levels of concern over reverse emigration: 41% of participants expressed worry about the number of Israelis leaving, while 46% said they were not concerned.

Attitudes differed significantly between supporters of the ruling coalition and the opposition. Seventy percent of coalition supporters said they were not worried about the number of departures, while 22% expressed concern.

Among opposition supporters, about 60% said they were concerned about the phenomenon, while roughly a quarter were not.

These results come amid official data and recent studies indicating a rise in the number of Israelis leaving for extended periods.

According to research published by Tel Aviv University, which relied on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, approximately 268,509 Israelis left between 2023 and 2025 for at least three months, marking a record high in recent years.

The study noted that around 90,000 Israelis departed for at least three months last year, a figure that significantly exceeds the average departure rate recorded over the previous decade.

According to Central Bureau of Statistics data, Israel’s population reached approximately 10.178 million by the end of 2025.