33,000 Israeli expats seeking to return for vote, nonprofit says as it offers flights

More than 33,000 Israelis living abroad have expressed interest in returning to Israel to cast ballots in the upcoming election, Channel 12 reports, citing a new effort called Fly&Vote that seeks to facilitate those trips.

Israel allows absentee voting only in rare circumstances, so Israeli expats who wish to vote need to make their way back to Israel for election day on October 27.

Fly&Vote, a project of a US-based nonprofit called the America-Israel Democracy Coalition, says it does not endorse any party or candidate, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened legal action against the effort, based on the belief that Israelis living abroad are likely to support opposition parties.

The nonprofit says it is not covering the cost of the flights, but it is organizing flights for Israelis who wish to vote. The group is advertising an $1,800 direct round trip from New York City to Tel Aviv, and Channel 12 reports that it is also offering a $580 direct round trip from Lisbon to Tel Aviv.