The Israelis flying home to vote: ‘It’s now or never for democracy’

For Israelis living overseas, casting a ballot in a national election involves far more than filling in a postal form or visiting an embassy. It means booking a flight home.

Israel does not allow its citizens to vote from abroad in national elections, meaning Israelis living overseas must be physically in the country on election day. Now, as Israel heads towards a pivotal election, a US-based organisation is trying to make that journey easier.

AID Coalition's Fly&Vote campaign is helping eligible Israeli citizens living abroad navigate the bureaucracy of voting and organise travel to Israel. Voters need to fund their own travel, and the Coalition charges for its services. 

The initiative says it is not supporting any particular candidate or party; its stated goal is to increase participation in Israel’s elections. But with record emigration from Israel over the past year, the program has the potential to capture votes from many Israelis disillusioned with the current government. 

Indeed, the government is sufficiently concerned by the prospect of opposition voters flying in that there are reports it may limit flights in the days leading up to the election.

“To me, it’s now or never for Israel’s democracy,” says Assi Berman Dayan, an Israeli living in Tenafly, New Jersey, who is planning to fly to vote.