Ghost Towns: Israel’s Streets Are Emptying—And This Could Change the Country Forever
The once vibrant streets of Israel’s major cities have grown noticeably quieter, with coffee shops in Tel Aviv and the bustling avenues of Jerusalem now feeling emptier. Nearly 16 months into the ongoing Gaza war, Israel is grappling with an unprecedented wave of departures, with around 82,700 Israelis leaving the country, as reported by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
The impact of the war is not only being felt domestically, but also abroad. MK Oded Forer addressed the issue in a hearing at the Knesset on Monday, stating, “Despite the wave of antisemitism around the world, the Israel-Hamas War is discouraging new olim from coming to Israel.” This sentiment underscores the difficulty of attracting new immigrants to Israel, even amidst rising levels of antisemitism worldwide.
One of the most significant impacts of this exodus is the effect it’s had on newcomers. Nearly half of those leaving were not born in Israel, and 15% had barely been living in the country for five years—too short a time to feel truly at home. Many of these departures are concentrated in Israel’s crucial tech industry, which has seen increasing instability due to the market uncertainty caused by the war.
Irit Touitou, co-founder of Tech For Israel, expressed her concern, saying, “High-tech professionals love the country and want to live here. But love isn’t always enough. If the trend does not change,” she warned, “Israel will lose its social and economic advantage.”
The exodus has also impacted Israel’s demographic makeup. The Jewish majority in Israel shrank by 0.3%, bringing it down to 73.2%, while the Arab population has increased by 0.1%. If this trend continues, experts warn that Israel’s Jewish majority could be at risk within a decade, creating an uncomfortable situation for the country, according to the JBN article.
Jewish organizations worldwide, including Nefesh B’Nefesh and Birthright Israel, have ramped up efforts to reconnect diaspora Jews with Israel, hoping to reverse the trend. Some experts believe that as soon as airlines increase their flights back to Israel and the situation in Gaza stabilizes, the exodus could slow or even reverse. But for now, much depends on whether the guns in Gaza can remain silent.