以色列自2023年10月哈马斯袭击后，政治极化加剧，社会不稳定，使得该国出现人才流失。2023年移出人数较前一年激增近50%，达59,365人，2024年更升至82,774人。尽管以色列仅有约300,000名技术和学术核心人才（占总人口3%），他们却贡献了出口商品与服务的59%。尤其值得关注的是，2024年离境者中有38%在过去五年内才新近移民，以当年俄乌战争后俄乌犹太人大规模移入为主，这表明许多新移民只把以色列视为短期避难所。

以色列精英离境与政府政策紧密相关。本雅明·内塔尼亚胡领导下的右翼和极端宗教政权加剧了社会分裂，世俗受教育青年日益反感政府并率先离开。高科技行业原本是反政府政策抗议的主力，同时以色列国防军（IDF）征召30多万预备役人员参战，要求他们2026年再服役两个多月。与此同时，14%人口的极端正统派拒服兵役，引发社会不满，因为预备役不仅撑起国家防务，也主导着以色列的经济、科技和学术命脉。

战争和社会压力带来心理健康危机。仅2024年上半年，IDF就有21名士兵自杀，为2011年以来最高。尽管军方否认自杀率上升，专家却警告，政府拨款19亿谢克尔（5.5亿美元）用于心理健康远远不足。这场危机警示以色列，持续征召和战争必然带走更多青年精英，使国家未来面临经济、创新与社会韧性的多重挑战。

In Israel, political polarization and instability following the October 2023 Hamas attacks have accelerated brain drain. In 2023, emigration soared by nearly 50% to 59,365 people, and in 2024 reached 82,774. Although only about 300,000 Israelis—just 3% of the population—are core scientific and technological talent, they account for 59% of Israel’s exports of goods and services. Notably, 38% of those who left in 2024 had arrived in Israel within the past five years, mainly recent immigrants from Russia and Ukraine after Russia’s invasion in 2022, suggesting Israel was seen as a short-term refuge by many.

Elite emigration is closely tied to government policy. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hard-right and ultra-religious coalition has intensified divisions, prompting secular, educated youth to oppose the government and leave. The tech sector led anti-government protests, and over 300,000 reservists were mobilized by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF)—with plans for another two months’ duty in 2026. Meanwhile, the ultra-Orthodox community—14% of the population—refuses military service, fueling resentment, since reservists not only support national defense but also drive Israel’s economy, technology, and academia.

War and societal pressures have sparked a mental health crisis. In the first half of 2024, 21 IDF soldiers committed suicide, the highest since 2011. While the army denies a rise in suicide rates, experts warn that the government’s allocation of 1.9 billion shekels ($550m) for mental health is far from enough. This crisis signals that ongoing mobilization and conflict may drive away more young talent, exposing Israel’s economic, innovative, and social stability to compounding risks.