Whether it is from Ben Gurion Airport, the border crossing to Jordan, or naval ships Israelis movement out of the regime has significantly increased. According to figures from the CBS, the 2016 rate marks an unprecedented peak.
Al-Masdar, an Arabic-publishing Israeli news site, said official sources put the number of Israelis who left in the first half of 2016 at 3,623, 800. This hike marks a 14.9 % leap from the same period in the previous year.
At this rate, experts estimate that a total of 6.6 million Israelis will have travelled outside the Israeli regime by the end of 2016. This number comprises 78% of a population of 8.5 million. However, it is not clear how many leave permanently and how many would be on short visits.
Just in July, 831,000 Israelis made trips abroad. Even more surprising is the number of Israelis who crossed the Jordanian borders into neighbouring countries, particularly to Saudi Arabia and other Arab states in the Persian-Gulf. This also highlights a 9.3% increase compared to last year.
Perhaps a reason why travel from Israeli-occupied territories to Arab states is recent strengthening relations between Tel Aviv and Riyadh, more precisely its swelling publicity.
In July, Saudi Arabian Airlines announced that there will be a flight that lands in Ben Gurion airport. An Israeli site claimed King Salman had given orders to the Minister of Transport to co-ordinate with his Israeli counterparts, facilitating this historical development Riyadh -to - Tel Aviv flights.
It has also been revealed that there is a program dedicated to normalizing ties between the Israeli regime and Arab countries. It was reportedly translated from Arabic to Hebrew, involved security experts and encompasses cooperation in areas such as technology, the economy, and trade.
It is not surprising that with such news, and increasingly softening relations between the Israeli regime and some Arab states that Israelis see travelling to neighbouring countries as an easier way to fulfil their purposes instead of crossing the globe to do so.
Although there is no evidence that the rise in the number of Israelis leaving the Israeli regime is directly linked to the Saudi-Israeli meetings, many believe that it is an indirect result of plans to normalize ties with the force occupying Palestine.
By Alwaght
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