Israeli media: Large percentage of Israelis abroad refuse to return

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli Media
20 Jan 2024 14:33
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Israeli media reveals an unprecedented increase in the number of Israelis who have left "Israel" and refuse to return, especially following the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th.

A man holds a sign reading "Don't come back" and an Israeli flag in Ben Gurion Airport near "Tel Aviv", "Israel", Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP)

Israeli channel Kan TV presented the results of a "remarkable" opinion poll regarding Israelis who have left "Israel" and refused to return, especially after the Palestinian Resistance launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th.

The channel mentioned that the poll conducted by the World Zionist Organization revealed that 80% of Israelis abroad do not want to return to "Israel".

Gusti Yehoshua-Braverman, the head of the Organization and Relations Department at the World Zionist Organization and the poll's author, explained that "the public in Israel is going through a state of fluctuation," adding, "This is a shock, we are not beyond the shock, but rather inside the shock itself."

In recent times, Israeli media has been observing data that is not usually disclosed by the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority regarding the number of applications for foreign citizenship and the possession of a second passport among Israelis, as well as their preferred destinations. According to this data, a significant number of Israeli settlers have already begun the process of moving to Spain, Portugal, the United States, and even Germany.

Israeli media: 1600 Israeli soldiers traumatized, in need of treatment

Earlier this month, Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted sources in the Israeli Occupation Forces stating that around 1600 soldiers have suffered from symptoms of distress and shell shock since the beginning of the war on Gaza.

Some of them have been treated by specialized teams within the IOF. Meanwhile, 90 were discharged as being unfit for service due to psychological difficulties.

Israeli newspaper Maariv also revealed an increase in psychological challenges among Israelis, amid the ongoing Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Israeli Emotional First Aid Association Eran received 100,000 requests for psychological assistance from various groups and ages.

This phenomenon is not limited to settlers but also includes Israeli soldiers who participated in the ground invasion of Gaza. Israeli Channel 12 reported that one soldier woke up terrified due to a nightmare and fired shots at the wall of the room where he was sleeping, dealing injuries to several Israeli soldiers.