At least 53,000 Israelis living abroad are expected to travel to Israel to cast their ballots in the upcoming 2026 election. This development follows the withdrawal of a petition by the Likud party against organizations assisting citizens living overseas in returning home to vote on Election Day, Tuesday.
The challenge against the AID Coalition and its Fly&Vote initiative—which is designed to facilitate the return of Israeli citizens living abroad to participate in the election—was dismissed by mutual agreement following a hearing before Central Elections Committee chairman and Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg.
The petition was officially withdrawn following a recommendation by Justice Sohlberg. Likud attorney Ilan Bombach subsequently announced the party’s decision to drop the legal challenge.
Under the terms of the settlement, ticket prices for flights already arranged through the initiative will remain at the rates set by the airlines, and no additional flights will be sold. The parties agreed that the judge would determine legal costs, resulting in an order for the respondents to pay NIS 10,000 in expenses.
Likud had argued that the initiative’s activities involved providing benefits intended to influence voters’ choices. In response, the respondents asserted that their operations did not involve any financial or other economic benefits.
Record Turnout Expected Among Israelis Living Abroad
During the hearing, it was revealed that the initiative assists approximately 500 to 600 citizens, all of whom pay the full price for their airline tickets without any subsidy from the organization.
Following the dismissal of the petition, the Fly&Vote initiative welcomed the decision, stating that it will continue its intensive efforts to “turn every Israeli into an Israeli vote” and reduce the obstacles preventing citizens from reaching the ballot box.
This decision comes in the wake of figures published by Fly&Vote in September, which indicated record involvement among Israelis living abroad. The initiative estimated that at least 53,000 Israelis residing overseas are expected to travel to Israel to exercise their right to vote.
A broad survey conducted by the initiative among approximately 17,500 Israelis outside Israel found that 72% of respondents intended to travel to Israel for Election Day to vote, with 58% having already purchased tickets and arranged their travel.
These figures show a significant increase and a growing determination to turn intention into action. In a survey conducted in March, only 45% stated they would make every effort to travel to Israel to vote, whereas the latest survey found that 58% already held airline tickets.
About half of the respondents also stated that the initiative’s activities encouraged them and directly influenced their decision to fly to Israel to vote.
The data further revealed that airfare prices were the main obstacle for citizens seeking to vote, cited by 58% of respondents, followed by flight availability at 25%, and concerns over the security situation in Israel.
Commitments to Maintain Market Flight Supply and Provide Non-Partisan Support
In its response to the petition, the initiative explained that following an increase in the supply of flights on the open market, it had shelved most of its planned activities and was left with only five or six flights.
Under the commitments given to the Central Elections Committee, the organization is permitted to provide information on required documents, operate WhatsApp groups, run a search engine for commercial flights, and offer a general legal assistance hotline. It may also station volunteers in the arrivals hall at Ben-Gurion Airport, provided they do not offer services with monetary value or engage in election campaigning.
The organization also committed not to subsidize or discount airline tickets, provide transportation, or coordinate accommodation for participants, or operate its planned paid-volunteering program. It may sell full-price tickets only for the six flights already under consideration.
“The data clearly show that Israelis living abroad are still Israelis first and foremost—involved and caring, not only in words but also in actions,” said AID Coalition President Yonatan Bar-Sadeh.
“Fly&Vote will continue working to reduce and remove the obstacles on their way to the ballot box, enabling every Israeli citizen, woman and man, to exercise their basic right to vote.”
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