Attempts to Prevent Israeli Citizens from Coming to Israel to Vote
- ACRI
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
Citizens of Israel, with very few exceptions, do not have the option to vote absentee. An Israeli citizen living abroad who wants to exercise their right to vote must travel to Israel and physically go to their assigned polling place. On July 20, 2026, ACRI sent an appeal to the Central Elections Committee, the Minister of Transportation, and the Attorney General, demanding urgent action to stop any initiative that would undermine the ability of Israeli citizens to travel to Israel and vote in the elections, and to ensure that Israeli citizens are able to enter Israel close to election day. The appeal was sent following reports that senior officials in the Ministry of Transportation were considering measures aimed at preventing Israeli citizens abroad from returning to Israel on charter flights ahead of the Knesset elections.
In the appeal, ACRI Attorney Elza Bugnet emphasized that the right to vote is a fundamental, constitutional right and is essential to the existence of a democratic society that respects human rights. For Israelis living abroad, exercising the right to vote also requires exercising their constitutional right to enter the State of Israel. Creating obstacles to entering the country close to election day constitutes an unconstitutional denial of fundamental rights.
If, as reported, the plans that have been floated are indeed motivated by an attempt to prevent citizens from voting because of the presumption that they will not vote for the incumbent government, this would be an illegal use of governmental authority. Even if there exist logistical constraints, they do not justify infringing on the right of Israeli voters to travel to Israel and cast their ballots. In fact, the constitutional status of the right to vote requires the State to make every effort to ensure that all citizens who wish to vote in Israel are permitted to enter the country without interference.
ACRI's appeal, July 20, 2026 (Heb)
