Poll: Israelis who relocate don't want kids in IDF

Survey by Ocean Relocation finds only 36% of those relocating abroad for work want their children to enlist in military.

By NADAV SHEMER
IDF tanks and a flag on the Gaza border 370 (photo credit: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters)
IDF tanks and a flag on the Gaza border 370
(photo credit: Ronen Zvulun / Reuters)
Most Israelis who leave the country under the auspices of a government institution or private employer return shortly after, but almost two-thirds do not want their children to serve in the IDF, according to a recent poll conducted by Ocean Relocation.
Ninety-four percent of those who relocate abroad with work return to Israel within two to three years, the poll found. Only 36% of respondents said they want their children to enlist in the military.
Ocean Relocation, a specialist in helping Israelis relocate, based its findings on a survey of more than 300 people who moved abroad in the service of 52 companies and government bodies.
The poll found that of those who return to Israel, 52% did so through their own personal choice while the remaining 48% would extend their stay overseas if given the opportunity. Some 17% of respondents cited longing for family as a factor in their return. Just 4% said the security situation in Israel was a factor behind their relocation.
Eran Dranger, CEO of Ocean Relocation, said that a 14% increase in is expected in the number of Israelis relocating abroad in 2013-14.
He added that this reflects a shift in the global labor market and shows that international borders are becoming increasingly “blurred.”