Israel election: unable to vote from abroad, expats have to fly home

AI Summary

Israeli citizens living abroad are expected to travel home to vote because Israel does not allow most expatriates to cast ballots overseas. A “Fly and Vote” effort is helping voters arrange trips as a close election could determine the prime minister’s future; Likud unsuccessfully sought to restrict the initiative.

Israelis can’t vote from abroad, so tens of thousands of expats are expected to fly home for the election. At Tel Aviv airport, supporters of opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot are already waiting at arrivals. A “Fly and Vote” initiative helps expats organise their trip, despite a failed petition from Netanyahu’s Likud party to restrict it. With polls predicting a tight race, every vote could count, and the result will decide the Prime Minister’s fate.