Overseas Israelis fly home to vote in pivotal election

Thousands of Israelis living overseas are flying home to vote in Tuesday's election, hoping to bring about a change in government and end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's time in office. An estimated 67,000 Israelis from the United States and Europe have entered the country to cast their ballots.

This 25 percent surge above expected figures could have a dramatic impact in a very tight race. Their numbers account for the equivalent of two seats in the 120-seat Knesset, according to the Israel Democracy Institute.

“This election is unique. It's very different than any other. It's about Israel's very existence.”

Passengers described the election as unique and critical to Israel's existence. Ayelet Frank, a resident of Redwood City, California since 1984, said she was returning for the first time in more than 40 years to cast a ballot.

El Al flight 48 from San Francisco to Tel Aviv carried 271 passengers and landed less than 24 hours before polls opened. It was the first nonstop flight from San Francisco to Israel since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

Many travelers are spending thousands of dollars for the chance to vote in what many call the most consequential election in Israel's history. The mood at San Francisco International Airport was buoyant, with families and babies in strollers among the passengers.

The election follows the October 7 Hamas killings in which more than 1,200 Israelis died. In Gaza, where 74,000 people have been killed in the last three years, distant ruins remain visible despite a supposed ceasefire.