Bay Area Israelis Are Going Abroad for ‘Pivotal’ Election
Bay Area Israeli Americans are making the trek to Israel to vote. It’s one of the most important things several say they’ll ever get to do for either country.
A crowd of passengers packed an Israel-bound flight from San Francisco International Airport on Sunday — a few draped in the flag of Israel and some wearing blue “Flight for Change” shirts in Hebrew — for the first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
They’re part of tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad who are returning with the purpose of deciding the political fate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies on Tuesday. Israel doesn’t allow absentee voting.
“Netanyahu’s government is just taking Israel into an extremely dangerous direction,” Shimrit Braun Kamin, from Burlingame and organizer with the advocacy group UnXeptable, said at the airport. “If he is elected one more time, it will be the end of Israel as a democratic and equal state.”
Netanyahu, who’s been in office for much of the time since 2009, has faced increasing criticism from those in and out of Israel for his handling of the Oct. 7 attack, when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 254 hostage, according to the U.S. Department of State. Netanyahu then declared war on Hamas.
Advocacy groups and international organizations have accused Israel of war crimes, and a United Nations special committee and commission characterized the nation’s actions as genocide. Other reports have also alleged war crimes from Hamas. Netanyahu and Hamas have denied the claims.
Netanyahu’s primary challenger is center-right former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
Offir Gutelzon, co-founder of UnXeptable, said Tuesday’s election is about a “decision to save Israeli democracy.”
“It will decide if the country will go in the path of peace,” Gutelzon, a Palo Alto resident since 2014, said.
Many people disagree with Gutelzon, he acknowledges, even some of his own family.
“This is part of being a democracy,” he said. “So, even many of those who are voting for change might be right-wing leaning.”
Gutelzon said conversations within his family are challenging, but he hopes the outcome of the election makes for a less divisive climate.
Right now, he said, “The discussion is very tense.”
Tamar Krigle came from Humboldt County to take the 13-plus hour flight out of SFO.
While waiting for her flight, the flag of Israel over her shoulders as she talked about her vote as both a duty and commitment to the country, Krigle said what needs to change in Israel’s government is . . . “everything, everything.”
“The change is going to take some time, but the rehabilitation — as soon as he is removed — we will be able to breathe and start to undo the things this evil government put on our people,” Krigle said.
Krigle and Braun Kamin said part of the goal of voting in the election is to strengthen the relationship between Israelis and Palestinians through peace.
Gutelzon said the election also very much impacts Americans and how the two countries will interact with one another.
“Netanyahu is so toxic in America. It’s super important for him to not be in government,” he said. “We will have the option to build up the American people’s support back.”