Since 2023, Israel has witnessed an unprecedented rise in the phenomenon of brain drain. As the legislative elections scheduled for October 27 approach, many university graduates have confirmed that they plan to emigrate abroad if the results show the ruling coalition, composed of right-wing and far-right parties led by Netanyahu, remaining in power. A report.
As Tel Aviv University prepares to start the new academic year, some students greet each other on the terrace of a café within the large campus, not far from groups of soldiers who came to visit the Jewish People’s Museum.
The university's economist, Itai Atar, who welcomed us in his office, does not hide his strong opposition to Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
In February 2026, a study by this researcher and his team, based on government statistics, stirred controversy after revealing that 50,000 Israeli university graduates leave for abroad each year since 2023.
The rise of brain drain under Netanyahu's government
Doctors and engineers make up a large proportion of Israelis who emigrate, with 80% of them under the age of 40 and enjoying high incomes.
Itai Atar says: "For us, it is clear that such an increase can only be explained by linking it to an event that occurred in Israel. Since the summer of 2023, i.e., before October 7, we have noticed a significant rise in the number of those leaving. We attribute the causes of this phenomenon to the judicial reform project proposed by Netanyahu’s government in January 2023 [aimed at reducing the powers of the Supreme Court and granting the government the authority to appoint judges – editor's note]."
Itai believes that this emigration is not due to economic reasons or cuts in financial allocations for public services or scientific research or innovation, but primarily a reaction to the political situation.
The researcher adds: "Look at what has happened in Israel over the past four years. It’s insane. The events of October 7, the wars in Lebanon and Gaza, the call-up of reserve soldiers, and the Iranian threat. Moreover, this government allocates huge amounts to ultra-Orthodox Jews. If you are secular, serve in the military, and pay taxes, many are now questioning whether they still want to raise their children here, in Israel.
A country that has become "crazy"
Itai Atar does not hide his political commitment and leftist leanings, and he wants to alert public opinion about the implications of this brain drain phenomenon. He clarifies in this regard: "The Israeli economy heavily relies on human capital. We do not have natural resources or oil, unlike Venezuela or Iran. (...) As a citizen and an economist, I hope that Israel returns to being a place of reason, a normal country."
The researcher adds that the deterioration of Israel's image in the world has made them "vulnerable to widespread boycotts in academic circles," pointing out that "research programs are suspended simply because we are Israeli."
As 150,000 university degree holders have already left since 2023, the victory of the right and far-right in the elections on October 27 could lead to a new wave of brain drain.
If the ruling coalition is re-elected, Tamar*, 32, who works as a product manager in a company specializing in artificial intelligence, is seriously considering leaving the country with her husband and their one-year-old son.
She explains that "the endless wars, the influence of Itamar Ben Gvir, who belongs to the Jewish supremacy stream, at the head of the Ministry of National Security, and the lies of Benjamin Netanyahu," have become unbearable for her.
Tamar sadly added: "In the midst of war, I can no longer sleep. My husband has spent more than 400 days in reserve military service over the past three years, and I am extremely angry at the government that allows ultra-Orthodox Jews [Haredim – editor's note] not to serve in the military. I no longer recognize the country I grew up in, even though my mother's family has lived in Jerusalem for 14 generations."
"This government is doing its utmost to divide us"
On the eve of the legislative elections, Israelis seem more divided than ever. The right and far-right are trying to delegitimize anyone who opposes them.
During the memorial ceremony for the October 7 attack, a journalist working for Channel 14, which supports Netanyahu's government in a very hostile manner, stirred controversy after calling on relatives of former Israeli hostages held in Gaza to apologize to the government.
Yinon Magal, the controversial media figure, specifically targeted the authors of a book published in 2024 titled "Mr. Abandonment, the Legacy of the Man Who Abandoned the Hostages," in which he criticized the relatives of the hostages for Netanyahu's handling of the hostage situation.
Moreover, Magal went as far as describing the relatives of the hostages as "the most despicable people in Israel" on a television program. In response, the sister of Yarden Bibas, one of the hostages whose wife and children died in captivity, said: "These statements fall within the framework of a deliberate campaign to incite hatred and spread toxins of division, with the sole aim of keeping the person who, even today, refuses to take responsibility for the greatest failure we have ever witnessed, in power."
"Libertarians" in the crosshairs of the right
In this toxic atmosphere, Tamar questioned, "Where is my country heading?" expressing a desire to emigrate abroad if the elections result in the same government staying in power. She said: "I love my country, but the situation has become unbearable and I am inquiring about working in one of my company’s offices in the United States or Europe. I know it won't be easy because this government has destroyed our relations with the rest of the world. I have relatives living in New Jersey who are afraid today to say they are Jewish. If I leave, I hope it is for a few years and not forever. I am not afraid of being accused of treason because my husband and I served faithfully in the army."
Tamar, like many Israelis, feels anxious about the repression of Netanyahu's government, which does not conceal its hatred for "liberals in Tel Aviv." She says: "I’m afraid of raising my son in a country that no longer believes in liberal values, where a number of religious extremists dominate everything." She added that stating one is "leftist" in Israel today "has become an insult. I want to live in a democratic state."
Maia wiped her tears as she spoke sadly about her plans to emigrate. She said: "My husband is very eager to leave; I am a little less so, but he is extremely worried. He fears that violence will erupt in Israel when the election results are announced. I think he is right. Even though I don’t see myself living in another country, I have started inquiring about places where I can work. After the elections, we will visit friends who settled in Portugal. We are also considering Athens, where many Israelis settled after October 7, as it is close to Israel."
"Horrific war crimes are being committed in my name"
In truth, the first elections in Israel since the Hamas attacks reveal a society torn by fear and anger. The left, center, right, and far-right confront each other over several issues, perhaps the most prominent being: exempting ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, Netanyahu’s refusal to form a commission to investigate the attacks on October 7, 2023, in addition to the issue of whether to include or exclude the political parties representing the Arabs of '48 in any future opposition coalition.
On the other hand, Maia expressed her deep discomfort when some ask her about her opinion on the Israeli army's destruction of Gaza. She says: "I feel that horrific war crimes are being committed in my name, and with my tax dollars. This is very difficult to bear and to express. I am not ready to stop treating people as humans, according to where they were born or the language they speak. This path, from a moral perspective, leads to hell. Moreover, the men who serve periods of reserve duty in the army return with psychological traumas, and they become violent and desperate because their professional lives have collapsed."
On October 27, Tamar will cast her vote for Gadi Eisenkot or Naftali Bennett, while Maia will vote for the Democrats led by Yair Golan.