Israeli Minister Calls for Immigration as Jews Flee Occupied Territories

TEL AVIV (KI) – Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar has called on Jews in Western countries to immigrate to Israeli occupied territories, citing alleged “antisemitism” abroad, even as Israel faces international condemnation for its ongoing war crimes in Gaza and a mounting domestic exodus.

“Today I call on Jews in England, Jews in France, Jews in Australia, Jews in Canada, Jews in Belgium: come to the Land of Israel! Come home!” Saar said at a Hanukkah ceremony, a week after a shooting at a Jewish event in Sydney killed 15 people. 
Police said the attackers were inspired by Daesh, and a Muslim bystander intervened to save lives. Critics say Israel is exploiting such tragedies to deflect attention from its atrocities against Palestinians and to justify intensified crackdowns on anti-war protests abroad.
The call comes amid alarming evidence of widespread disillusionment within Israel. A November study found 27 percent of Israelis are contemplating leaving the occupied territories, citing insecurity and growing violence linked to Israel’s policies. Between 2020 and 2024, a net total of 145,900 Zionists emigrated, with annual outflows hitting record highs of 82,800 in 2023 and 49,000 in the first eight months of 2024. Lawmakers described the exodus as “a tsunami.”
Despite Saar’s rhetoric, Israel’s far-right regime continues policies that fuel instability and insecurity, prompting proposals to lure immigrants back with financial incentives. In November, finance minister Bezalel Smotrich called for a two-year zero-income-tax benefit for new arrivals in 2026. Yet departures continue to outpace arrivals, reflecting widespread domestic disillusionment with a regime whose aggressive military campaigns, occupation, and repression have driven many citizens to leave while international scrutiny grows over its treatment of Palestinians.