- February 10, 2026
- 4:06 pm
- World News
On February 9, 2026, in the Knesset, deputies discussed an issue that resonates painfully and practically at the same time for Israeli society: the flow of aliyah from the countries of the former USSR is decreasing and, according to current estimates, will continue to decline.
The discussion was not about hypotheses, but about a trend that has been recorded for several consecutive years. The focus is on Russia, Ukraine, and other countries in the region, from where tens of thousands of new citizens traditionally arrived.
The signal was sounded at a meeting of the parliamentary commission on aliyah, absorption, and diaspora.
What exactly the deputies recorded
The chairman of the commission, Gilad Kariv, stated: the current figures are already lower than during the COVID-19 year of 2020. Many in the hall considered this comparison alarming β the pandemic was considered an objective force majeure, and now the world lives in a different reality.
According to the parliamentarian, in 2025, Israel accepted about half as many repatriates from the countries of the former USSR as the year before.
Exact numbers were not mentioned at the meeting. But the direction of movement was clear to everyone.
Debate on priorities
Kariv raised a sensitive topic: is it not the case that state programs are more actively promoting aliyah from Western countries, while the eastern direction is gradually losing attention.
Russia, Ukraine, and Ethiopia were mentioned separately. The deputy emphasized that the commission must monitor the balance and not allow the feeling of closed doors for some communities while intensifying the opening for others.
In Israeli politics, such formulations rarely sound accidental.
How the government sees the situation
Ze’ev Elkin, overseeing the Nativ structure at the Prime Minister’s Office, participated in the discussion.
He confirmed: the statistics on visas issued in recent months indicate a likely further reduction. Expert assessments within the system reach up to minus 50 percent.
At the same time, the minister drew attention to a detail that is hard to ignore. In Russia and Ukraine today, there are no longer queues for document processing.
This can be explained by better organization of work.
But at the same time β by a decrease in demand.
Who helps on the ground
Despite the war, activities in Ukraine are gradually resuming. According to the minister, the Jewish Agency for Israel plays a significant role in supporting potential repatriates.
This involves logistics, consultations, and family support.
The Israeli system strives to maintain infrastructure even when the flow decreases.
Such processes are regularly analyzed by journalists at NANews β Israel News | Nikk.Agency, because behind the dry numbers are people’s decisions, their fears, calculations, and expectations.
Why the wave may not return quickly
Elkin reminded: aliyah from the former USSR historically developed in spurts. There were peaks, there were years of calm.
Today, factors have been added that did not exist simultaneously before.
Exit restrictions
Ukrainian men of conscription age up to 60 cannot freely leave the country. This automatically complicates the relocation of entire families, even if the documents are ready.
Perception of the situation in Israel
Decisions are also influenced by regional security. People assess risks, compare, consult with relatives.
Sometimes they postpone.
Sometimes they change plans.
The result is visible in visa statistics.
For the Israeli economy, housing market, education system, and employment services, such fluctuations have direct significance. Fewer new citizens mean less burden today, but also less demographic and professional growth tomorrow.
The Knesset commission intends to return to the topic throughout the year.
The trend is identified. The question now is whether it will change.
