Knesset: "Migration Tsunami" Hits Israel Amid Lack of Government Plan

A report issued by the Research and Information Center of the Israeli Knesset revealed a concerning increase in emigration rates from Israel since 2020, with a negative balance of about 146,000 people who left the country and did not return in the absence of any government plan to stop the phenomenon.

The report clarified that the Gaza war in October 2023 marked a turning point, as departure rates rose significantly due to security tensions and internal political division.

According to the data, about 83,000 Israelis left during 2023, an increase of 39 percent compared to the previous year, while approximately 50,000 people left from the beginning of 2024 until August of the same year, a rate similar to that recorded in the same period of 2023.

In contrast, the number of returnees from abroad saw a clear decline, with only 24,200 returning in 2023 compared to 29,600 in 2022, while the number of returnees did not exceed 12,100 until August 2024.

This disparity led to a worsening negative migration balance, which peaked in 2023 with a difference of 58,600 people compared to 36,900 until August 2024.

The head of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Giliad Kreif, described the phenomenon as a "tsunami," emphasizing that many Israelis choose to build their future outside the state while the number choosing to return is declining. He added that what is happening is a direct result of government policies that have torn apart society and neglected the civil front over the past two years, warning that the absence of a clear government plan could exacerbate the phenomenon in the coming years.

Despite the seriousness of the indicators, the report confirmed that the Israeli government does not have any organized plan to limit emigration or to encourage the return of expatriates, which deepens the demographic and social crisis.