Israel’s elections trigger mad dash for scarce plane tickets for Israelis abroad

Israel's upcoming general election, scheduled for October 27, presents a significant logistical and financial challenge for the country's growing expatriate population. Unlike many nations, Israeli law largely prohibits absentee voting, forcing citizens living abroad to travel back to the country to cast their ballots. This year, the decision is particularly acute due to record numbers of Israelis moving overseas in recent years and historically expensive flight prices, exacerbated by foreign carriers' cancellations amid war-related uncertainty.

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The Knesset House Committee on Sunday affirmed an election date of Oct. 27, the latest allowed by law, following months of political maneuvering by both the opposition and the governing coalition to force an early collapse of the government.

The election date, affirmed by the Knesset House Committee, falls on the latest possible day allowed by law. This timing means the intense final weeks of campaigning will coincide with the three-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The attack looms large over the race, especially for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in power at the time.

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The timeline means that the intense final weeks of campaigning will overlap with the three-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel that is looming large over the race, particularly for Netanyahu, who was in charge at the time.

Analysts and politicians across the spectrum warn that Israel's democracy is at an inflection point. Current polls indicate that the opposition holds a majority of voter support, though forming a stable government remains uncertain. Key opposition figures include Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief whose son was killed in the Gaza war, and former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, alongside retired army general Yair Golan. The election outcome is seen as crucial for the nation's future direction.

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Unusually, Israeli law does not allow for absentee voting except in a narrow number of situations, meaning that almost anyone with an Israeli passport who lives outside of Israel must travel back to cast a ballot.