Benjamin Netanyahu faces Gadi Eisenkot as 80,000 Israelis fly home to vote

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister who has led the country for 18 years across three separate terms, is set to face his toughest challenge yet in Tuesday's general election. His main opponent is Gadi Eisenkot, the former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who leads the Yashar party. Because Israel does not accept ballots cast outside its borders except from diplomatic staff, both candidates are vying for the support of diaspora citizens who are traveling back to the country to participate.

Estimates from a group organizing these returns suggest as many as 80,000 Israelis living abroad may come home to vote. Yael Shomer, a professor of political science at Tel Aviv University, noted that while this group is not a large block of the total electorate, their participation could tip the scales in a tightly contested race. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a Washington-based organization, estimates that Israel has approximately 7.3 million eligible voters.

The race is being driven by deep divisions over national security, the conscription of ultra-Orthodox men, and the judiciary. Shomer described the current campaign as exceptionally hard fought, stating that voter turnout will likely be very high because the outcome will define the country's future. Pollsters predict turnout could reach 87%, a sharp increase from the 70% recorded in the 2022 election. In contrast, turnout among foreign service workers at embassies was 90% in previous cycles, according to the Central Elections Committee.

To facilitate this return, the America-Israel Democracy Coalition, a U.S.-based group founded in 2023, launched an initiative called Fly & Vote. Because political parties are prohibited from paying for transportation, the coalition relied on private donations to fund the effort. The group chartered a flight for Israelis in Portugal and purchased blocks of tickets for flights departing from the New York area. Participants still paid for their own seats, but the organization helped secure availability.

Ora Peled-Nakash, a co-founder of the initiative, explained that the group remains non-partisan to ensure it only helps citizens cast their ballots. Commercial options have also expanded in recent months. Arkia and Israir began offering flights from the United States in the past year, while United and Delta resumed service after suspending operations due to the war with Iran. Lufthansa continues to fly from Europe, and British Airways is scheduled to restart flights this week.

As of Sunday, El Al had remaining seats from New York's JFK and Newark airports priced between $1,300 and $2,500, according to research by CNBC. Peled-Nakash said these prices are in line with normal market rates. The result of Tuesday's vote will help determine the political and economic direction of Israel after a period of instability that included five elections between 2019 and 2022.