MK Ohad Tal spent more of 2025 abroad than any other lawmaker, including ministers — report

The Israeli lawmaker who spent the most time abroad in 2025 was Ohad Tal, an MK for the far-right Religious Zionism party, Channel 12 reports.

The network says that based on freedom-of-information requests and Knesset data, Tal spent over two months in total out of the country — 68 days overall — more than any cabinet minister or fellow MK.

In second, unsurprisingly, was Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who spent 64 days abroad. Following him, Economy Minister Nir Barkat spent 60 days of 2025 out of Israel, while the figure for Transportation Minister Miri Regev — whose international travel has drawn scrutiny — was 57 days.

Haim Katz, who holds several ministerial portfolios including helming the Tourism Ministry, was abroad for 41 days this year.

Tal’s office said in a statement to the network that much of his travel was geared toward public diplomacy on Israel’s behalf. It said he met with members of the US Congress and other parliamentarians, held meetings and gave interviews in international media outlets.

“MK Tal is proud to be one of the only ones in Knesset who is standing up to defend Israel on the international front,” the statement says. “The State of Israel needed to do much more on this front.”