Originally published at Jewish News Now
The News Trap: Why What You Read About israel Isn't Your Aliyah Roadmap
You check the headlines. Another story about Gaza. Another about Iran. Another about political chaos in Jerusalem. And you wonder: Is now really the time to make Aliyah?
That's the first mistake most people make. They assume that the news cycle driving israel's global headlines is the same thing that determines whether Aliyah makes sense for them right now. It isn't.
Since March 2026, Israel has maintained a ground presence in Lebanon as part of the broader Hezbollah–Israel conflict, and a state of emergency has been in place in Israel since February 28, 2026, as a result of Israeli–US strikes on Iran. But here's what the global press doesn't tell you: Israel's central bank still expects economic growth of 3.8% in 2026, and the IMF estimates Israel's economy will grow by 3.5%—outperforming the United States (2.3%) and EU (1.3%).
The disconnect between headline risk and economic reality is the single biggest thing new olim misunderstand about moving to Israel in 2026.
Mistake 1: Confusing Headline Conflict with Housing Market Reality
You read about regional tensions and assume the housing market is frozen. It isn't.
Here's what actually matters: The economic rebound will be led by the return of normal business activity in construction and tourism, which suffered the most since October 2023. The construction sector is recovering, and demand for housing is real. What's also real is that prices remain challenging—but that's a structural problem, not a news-cycle problem.
What new olim get wrong: They delay their move because they think housing will collapse. What actually happens: Housing demand stays steady because Israelis who didn't leave during the hardest months aren't suddenly leaving now. Prices adjust slowly. If you wait for a "safer" headline moment, you'll simply pay more later.
The practical fix: Talk to local real estate agents about your specific region, not about the national political situation. Moshav communities in the Galilee and Negev behave very differently from Tel Aviv during periods of elevated tension, and rental markets respond faster than purchase prices.
Mistake 2: Not Understanding Why Western Aliyah Is Accelerating Right Now
Here's the actual driver of the 2026 Aliyah surge: Immigration from France has tripled in a single year, nearly doubled from the UK, and over 13,000 new Aliyah files were opened in North America in the last year. The Israeli government set a target to absorb 30,000 new immigrants in 2026, primarily from countries suffering from a drastic rise in [antisemitism](https://jewishnewsnow.com/article/jewish-news-now/2026-07-23-antisemitism-rising-2026-aliyah-dec
Read the full article at Jewish News Now
