Rabbi Dr. Haim Shein, director of the Shaare Mishpat College of Law, said Tuesday in an interview with Arutz 7 that the debate on whether to allow Israelis residing abroad to vote in national elections had, unfortunately, turned into a political debate. "Unfortunately, when such questions arise, the immediate reaction is, who benefits, the right or the left. The question is much more fundamental," he said.

Most countries do allow expatriates to vote, he said. While the U.S. allows citizens who live abroad to vote indefinitely, several European countries allow expats to vote only for a limited period of time after they have left the country, such as for 15 years. This could be a model for Israel to follow, Shein said. "They should be allowed to vote, although a period of ten years is sufficient," he added.