Study Finds Nearly 270,000 Israelis Left Country Since 2023

A study from Tel Aviv University based on Central Bureau of Statistics data shows that approximately 268,930 Israelis left the country for three or more consecutive months between 2023 and 2025. The figures include 86,509 people in 2023, 91,499 in 2024, and 90,922 in 2025. For comparison, the study found that only 83,219 citizens left during the same three year period from 2013 to 2015. Researchers estimate that between 45,000 and 50,000 citizens will have left for a year or more in 2025.

Prof. Itai Ater, a study co author, stated that while current figures do not yet pose a risk to Israel's resilience, there is a growing concern that continued emigration could endanger security and the economy. The study notes that mass emigration could be particularly damaging because Israel's economy relies heavily on academia, advanced medical services, and the high tech industry.

MK Gilad Kariv, Chair of the Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee, described the trend as a tsunami and a strategic threat. He attributed the emigration to the conduct of the current government and the coup d'état, claiming the coalition has ignored demands for a plan to reverse the trend. He urged those who left to return and vote in upcoming elections.

Reporting on the event differed by political lean. The center right source focused on the political conflict, highlighting MK Kariv's specific criticisms of the government and the strategic nature of the threat. The left leaning source framed the event as a continuing record high in emigration and emphasized the potential long term risks to national security and the economy.