"I cannot continue in a country where every two by three we are at war": those who no longer see a future in Israel

Jerusalem“I will leave for Greece and then to Cyprus”. At 22 years old, Reem works in the Christian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem and already has a plan to leave. She has a job and a stable economic situation, but she does not imagine her future there. Her family lives abroad and she wants to follow her path. “I cannot continue in a country where every other moment we are at war, I want to have better opportunities”, she explains. Her case reflects the unrest of a part of Israeli society that, after three years marked by the conflict, is beginning to wonder if it still makes sense to stay.

The data confirm that it is not an isolated case. A study by Tel Aviv University, published in August, calculates that, between 2023 and 2025, 268,509 citizens spent at least three consecutive months abroad. The figure exceeds the 183,219 recorded between 2013 and 2015. Regarding 2025, researchers estimate that between 45,000 and 50,000 Israelis emigrated with a stay abroad of one year or more, record figures.

There is also concern about who is leaving. A study by the Israeli Tax Authority from the summer noted that the departure of high-income citizens has nearly doubled in five years. Among the most affected profiles are doctors, engineers, and qualified professionals in the technological and healthcare sectors. If the trend continues, the state could stop collecting up to 980 million euros annually within five years. In a country where the 20% of the population with the highest income provides 92% of income tax revenue, the loss of these professionals can have significant consequences for the economy.

What drives these citizens to pack their bags? The country's state of war is central, but not the only factor. The crisis of trust in institutions goes back further. One of the first major turning points arrived in 2023 with the judicial reform promoted by Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The proposal, which intended to give more weight to the executive in the appointment of judges and limit the Supreme Court's ability to review its decisions, caused a deep social fracture. Detractors warned that the changes could weaken judicial independence and democratic checks and balances.

The Hamas attacks exacerbated this crisis of confidence. To the sense of insecurity was added the unease over the lack of assumption of political responsibility and the absence of an independent state investigation into the failures that allowed them. Among the most critical voices are relatives of the victims and hostages, some of whom are considering leaving the country.

“The government failed me before October 7th and it failed me after,” states Michel, father of Guy Illouz, a 26-year-old musician kidnapped during the attacks and who died in captivity in Gaza. Michel, who is still demanding an investigation, admits that he has considered leaving. “For me, giving up would mean leaving Israel and going to live in another country,” he says. “I don't know what will happen, but I cannot live with a government like this. Leaving is a possibility I am considering, indeed I am.”

The study by Tel Aviv University precisely links the increase in departures to the prolongation of the conflict and political tensions in Israel. In the same vein, sociologist Lilach Lev Ari, from Oranim Academic College in the north of the country, points out in statements to The Times of Israel that dissatisfaction with the government and concern for the future of Israeli democracy are increasingly decisive factors.

The war conditions studies and work

Among young people, uncertainty about the future translates into a desire to leave. According to the National Union of Israeli Students, nearly three out of every ten university students are considering moving to another country when they finish their studies, three points more than the previous year. Insecurity is one of the main reasons, pointed out by 46% of those who are considering leaving, while 20% point to job prospects and the political crisis.

The war, they acknowledge, conditions their academic life. 27% of the students surveyed have been mobilized as reservists during the course and almost two out of every three claim to have suffered emotional and social difficulties when returning to their studies. This context is also reflected in the decline in optimism about the country's future: only 31% declare themselves quite or very optimistic, compared to 37% the previous year.

“I can have better job opportunities outside of here,” explains Fadi, another thirty-year-old man who works as a tour guide. He likes the job he has and the city, but his work depends on a tourism sector that is still far from recovering normality after the conflicts that began in 2023. “I would like to get a scholarship to perfect my Spanish abroad and, from there, explore new professional outlets,” he adds.

Leaving does not always mean breaking definitively with Israel. Many of those who leave keep their family, friends, and personal ties here, and some hope to return when the political and security situation improves. Others, however, are beginning to imagine their future far from the country. The unknown is no longer just how many Israelis will leave in the coming years, but how many will decide to return.