A study based on data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, published by Tel Aviv University in early August, reveals a surge in emigration, with over 86,500 people leaving in 2023, approximately 91,500 in 2024, and a similar number recorded in 2025. In comparison, during the same period in 2013, 2014, and 2015, only 83,219 citizens left Israel. A report from the Israeli tax authority further corroborates this trend, indicating that those leaving belong to the highest tax brackets.

Gilad Kariv, Chairman of the Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee of the Israeli Knesset, states that the country faces a "tsunami" of emigration that the government has made no moves to address.

A British Airways flight departs Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on 25/2. *Jerusalem Post*

The core reasons for this situation stem from a collapse of political trust and a prolonged cycle of conflict. The exodus intensified just before crucial year-end elections, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government grew increasingly right-wing and hardline. Liberals accuse the government of eroding secularism and undermining the independence of state institutions, particularly the judiciary. A plan to curtail judicial oversight in 2023 sparked massive protests by tens of thousands of people.

The insecurity felt by intellectuals peaked after the Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7/10/2023, coupled with Israel's retaliatory military operations that resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and triggered conflict on multiple fronts. Despite not opposing the war, many feel exhausted and stuck as the conflict drags on endlessly, with the government unable to achieve its promised victory.

The current wave of departures occurs despite long-standing prejudices within Jewish culture. In the 1970s, former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin called those who left the country "cowards." In Hebrew, the word Aliyah (moving to Israel) means "going up," while yordim (emigrating abroad) carries the negative connotation of "those who go down."

Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport in March. *AFP*

According to demographer Sergio Della Pergola, while Israel's negative migration balance previously appeared short-term due to financial crises, the current mass and continuous emigration over the past period is an unprecedented and abnormal signal. The prominence of extremist politicians further deepens polarization. Della Pergola cites National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who once called for the killing of 30-40 Palestinians in Gaza every night.

"This time, economic factors are not necessarily the main cause. Most people are leaving due to a prolonged sense of security insecurity and concerns about the country's political future," he emphasized.

This mass emigration directly threatens Israel's economic foundation. Professor Michael Ben-Gad of City St George's University, London, stresses that retaining a young, educated, and liberal workforce is vital for sustaining the growth of a young economy like Israel's. He recalls a decades-old warning from economist Dan Ben-David that Israel's political and economic future depends entirely on its capacity for innovation.

According to Professor Lilach Lev Ari from Oranim University, the most highly qualified individuals constitute an overwhelming proportion of those leaving. This trend is most evident in the wave heading to the United States, primarily talented young families seeking to escape the stifling political climate, the impact of judicial reforms, and ongoing warfare.

She emphasizes that there is no need to panic, as many talented individuals remain in the country. However, she adds that the three-year emigration wave, which shows an increasing trend, must be properly recognized. "This is an alarming situation," she notes.

Hong Hanh (According to Al Jazeera, Jerusalem Post)