Quarter of Jewish Israelis, 40% of Arab Israelis contemplate emigration amid political crisis

One in four Jewish Israelis and four in 10 Arab Israelis would have emigrated if given the opportunity, according to a new survey. These results underscore a growing discontent with the nation’s leadership and security situation.

A new report from the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI), published on Wednesday, highlighted a significant trend of emigration sentiments among Israelis. According to the July 2024 Israeli Society Index, 25% of Jewish Israelis and 40% of Arab Israelis expressed a willingness to leave the country if they had a practical opportunity to do so. This finding came at a time when trust in both military and political leadership was notably low.

The report painted a picture of a nation grappling with internal strife and diminishing confidence in its institutions. Public trust in the senior command of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had dropped dramatically, with 55% of Jewish respondents expressing low or very low trust.

The decline was particularly stark among right-wing Israelis, 80% of whom distrusted the IDF’s top leadership. This erosion of confidence extended to the political realm, where only 27% of Israelis trusted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and a mere 26% had confidence in the government.

Support for mandatory military conscription of ultra-Orthodox (haredi) youth remained a contentious issue. The Supreme Court’s ruling mandating haredi conscription into the IDF was supported by 63% of Jewish Israelis, with the highest support among secular and traditionalist Jews. However, this support plummeted to just 12% among the ultra-Orthodox, reflecting deep divisions within Israeli society.

The survey also shed light on shifting attitudes toward Israel’s future security policies. While a majority of Jewish Israelis once supported aggressive military actions, there was now a noticeable decline in support for an attack on Hezbollah, dropping from 62% in March to 56% in July. Concurrently, there was a slight increase in support for diplomatic solutions, particularly among Arab Israelis, 67% of whom favored a peaceful resolution.

Prof. Yedidia Stern, president of the Jewish People Policy Institute, emphasized the gravity of the situation: “The findings indicate a deep crisis of trust between the public and the security and political leadership. This is a significant challenge at any time, but particularly crucial during a crisis. Renewed trust is needed between the leadership and the public to enhance national resilience against challenges ahead. The way to achieve this is through holding general elections.”