Israelis Abroad Are Generally Required to Travel to Israel to Vote

Voting in Israel Only

Ahead of the elections for the 26th Knesset, Israelis began arriving from abroad to exercise their right to vote. According to a Walla report, Israeli law does not allow this group to vote abroad: on Election Day, citizens must be in Israel.

The Scale of the Return Remains Unclear

Photographs and reports of citizens arriving on flights for the elections appeared on social media. However, Oz Berlovitz, CEO of Arkia Airlines, told radio station 103FM that the flights were not full and that several flights arranged in advance had been canceled more than a month before the elections.

The Dispute Over the Fly&Vote Initiative

The Likud party had previously threatened to petition the Central Elections Committee and initiate legal proceedings against the organizers of Fly&Vote, who helped Israelis travel to Israel. The party pointed to a possible violation of election laws, including the prohibition on providing voters with material benefits and influencing their votes. The proceeding concluded with an agreement: the initiatives would not subsidize airline tickets or grant passengers discounts of any kind.

The Right to Vote and Enter Israel

The Association for Civil Rights demanded that no obstacles be placed in the way of Israelis arriving ahead of the elections. In its view, the right to vote is a basic constitutional right, and in this situation its exercise is also connected to the constitutional right of citizens and residents to enter Israel. The Association believes that creating obstacles to their return could unlawfully deprive thousands of citizens of the ability to enter Israel and vote.

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