Journalist Kalman Liebskind on Friday criticized Israelis who have moved abroad but plan to return to Israel specifically to vote in the upcoming elections, calling them "impudent" and questioning their morality.
Aiming his criticism primarily at initiatives aimed at helping Israelis living overseas travel to Israel on Election Day, Liebskin slammed, "Emigrants who plan to come to Israel to vote in the elections are shamelessly impudent."
"The initiative to fly emigrants to Israel ahead of Election Day is immoral," he wrote on X. "Those who don't live here shouldn't decide for us how we live here. Those who don't share the burden of living here and won't bear the consequences of their choices at the ballot box shouldn't interfere."
In his weekly column in Makor Rishon, Liebskind expounded on his position, referring to recent media interviews with Israelis who have relocated abroad, including some who said they intend to return to Israel to vote.
He also criticized what he described as the growing legitimacy being given to the political involvement of people who have chosen to move the center of their lives to another country.
Liebskind also addressed the Fly&Vote initiative, which, according to reports cited in his column, aims to help tens of thousands of eligible Israeli voters living abroad travel to Israel to cast their ballots.
He stressed that his argument is not about the legality of voting, but rather about whether people who no longer live in Israel and do not regularly bear the consequences of government decisions should take part in determining the country's leadership.