99,000 Israelis Departed in Two Years, Data Shows

Approximately 99,000 residents of Israel left the country between January 2023 and December 2024, marking the highest recorded departure rate in the nation's history. This figure represents nearly one percent of the country's population of about 10 million people. The data indicates a sustained trend of emigration that has persisted for two consecutive years.

The findings come from a study published in February by Itai Ater, a professor at the Coller School of Management at Tel Aviv University, and colleagues. They analyzed records from the Central Bureau of Statistics. The researchers defined emigrants as individuals who were away for at least three consecutive months and spent more than 270 days outside Israel during their first year of departure. The data shows that about 50,000 people left in 2023, followed by 49,000 in 2024.

Ater stated that preliminary figures indicate this pattern continued throughout 2025. He attributed the trend to three years of turbulence, including war, economic uncertainty, and the ongoing corruption trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The trial, which began in 2020, has yet to reach a verdict. "Israelis are thinking, 'do I want to raise my kids in a country like this?'" Ater said. He added that he sympathizes with those who answer no.

The period began with the Hamas attack on southern Israel in late 2023. That assault killed roughly 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of another 250 hostages. Israel responded with a military campaign in the Gaza Strip. A ceasefire took effect in October 2025, but Israel still controls approximately 60 percent of the enclave and conducts regular military operations there.

The national election scheduled for next week introduces additional uncertainty. Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving leader, is seeking power again. Polls suggest his far-right bloc will not secure the 61 Knesset seats required to form a government. A rival bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party is positioned to win the most seats, though it is also expected to fall short of a majority. Coalition building will likely follow the vote, a process in which Netanyahu has a long history of involvement.

Ater warned that without political change, emigration numbers could rise sharply. "These [emigration] numbers will go up dramatically," he said. The concern is not limited to the total volume of departures but also to the professions of those leaving. The study identified a sharp rise in the departure of doctors, Ph.D. holders, and engineers. Net departures included 2,360 engineers and 509 doctors. Ater noted that Israel's economy relies heavily on this human capital in sectors such as technology, academia, and health care.

Avigail Ben-Porat, a 50-year-old single mother living in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, said she dreams of leaving but lacks the financial means. She reported still hearing rocket fire regularly. She said many of her friends have moved to destinations including Portugal, Canada, Thailand, and India.

Business leaders are also adjusting their strategies. Liam Schwartz, who heads the corporate immigration department at the Tel Aviv law firm Goldfarb, Gross, Seligman, said some companies face pressure from non-Israeli shareholders. These investors are concerned about the viability of operating from Israel and are more willing to shift workforce components to North America or Europe. Schwartz traced the discontent to January 2023, when the government proposed judicial reforms that would have reduced the powers of the Supreme Court. "They feel like the Israeli government is no longer meeting its part of the social contract," Schwartz said.

Schwartz described the upcoming October vote as a potential watershed for whether emigration continues to rise. Ater characterized the stakes as a strategic risk to Israel as a democracy and a liberal country. He said the situation is a concern for the Middle East and the wider world.