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A new study has revealed that 27% of Israelis are contemplating leaving the country, reflecting growing unease after months of conflict, rising living costs, and political uncertainty. The research, released Sunday by the Israel Democracy Institute, surveyed 720 Jewish and 187 Arab respondents in April.
The findings show that Arab Israelis are slightly more likely than Jewish Israelis to consider emigrating — 30% compared with 26%. Among Jews, secular and left-leaning individuals expressed the highest inclination to depart, indicating a widening divide within Israeli society over the country’s future direction.
Researchers noted that 69% of Jews and 62.5% of Arabs considering leaving had no specific destination in mind. Their primary motivation, they said, was simply to get out of Israel, rather than moving toward any particular country or lifestyle abroad.
The survey was conducted after 18 months of ongoing conflict on multiple fronts and before Israel’s brief June war with Iran. It also preceded the recent ceasefire with Hamas, making it unclear how these subsequent developments may influence public sentiment.
Secular Jewish Israelis made up the largest share of those contemplating emigration, at 39%, followed by traditional but non-religious respondents at 24%, traditional religious at 19%, Orthodox at 14%, and ultra-Orthodox at just 4%.
Among young secular Jews, the figure rose dramatically, with 60% saying they would consider leaving. For high-income earners holding foreign passports, the number climbed to 80%.
Education and income also emerged as strong predictors of emigration interest in both Arab and Jewish communities. Respondents working in globally mobile fields such as technology, medicine, and finance reported higher likelihoods of considering relocation, reflecting concerns about long-term prospects in Israel’s domestic economy.
The study also found that Israeli-born citizens were more likely to consider leaving than those who immigrated to Israel. Thirty-three percent of Israeli-born citizens said they were weighing departure, compared with 22% of immigrants.
Researchers attributed this to the intention-driven nature of immigration, suggesting that those who moved to Israel by choice feel more committed to staying.
Dual citizenship was another key factor. Israeli-born Jews with foreign passports were more likely to consider leaving if they had lived abroad previously, and the likelihood increased with the amount of time spent outside Israel.
When asked to assess the state of the nation, 42% of Jewish respondents and 33% of Arab respondents described it as “bad,” while only 8% of Jews and 15% of Arabs rated it positively. The top reasons cited for considering emigration included the high cost of living, ongoing security threats, political instability, and diminished expectations for their children’s future.
The European Union emerged as the most popular destination for potential emigrants, preferred by 43% of respondents — significantly higher than the 27% expressing interest in North America. Respondents also mentioned democratic concerns, public services, Israel’s international standing, and free speech issues as factors shaping their thinking.
Despite these concerns, the strongest pull factor keeping Israelis in the country remains family ties. Respondents from both communities said they were far more likely to consider leaving if close relatives had already emigrated, underscoring the powerful role of family networks in shaping personal decisions.
The study highlights a growing sense of uncertainty that is reshaping Israelis’ perceptions of their long-term prospects. While many are not yet ready to take concrete steps toward emigration, the fact that more than one in four citizens is contemplating such a move reflects deep societal anxieties about the future of the state.