Israelis Queue at the Portuguese Embassy in Tel Aviv to Emigrate to Lisbon

Tel Aviv witnessed one of its most striking scenes after Israeli media circulated images of thousands of Israelis queuing outside the Portuguese Embassy since the early hours of the morning.

The queues extended into the underground parking garage, in a scene described by the press as a miniature mass emigration.

The Portuguese Embassy announced a special day for in-person applications, dubbed "Back to the Old System," to address the near-total collapse of its online booking system, which was overwhelmed by the surge in citizenship and passport applications.

Portugal's 2015 law granted descendants of Sephardic Jews the right to citizenship as compensation for 16th-century persecution. Although Lisbon tightened its immigration laws in 2023 following a surge in applications, Israelis still see it as their golden gateway to escape, given the freedom of movement within the European Union, lower living costs, lower university fees, and a ticket out of the volatile Israeli reality.

The Israeli report directly links the war on Gaza, which began in October 2023, to the dramatic increase in demand for European passports. Estimates suggest that tens of thousands have left the country in recent months in an unprecedented wave of emigration, while others are seeking a "Plan B" in anticipation of any future scenario.

From the Portuguese queue to a bigger question: This shocking scene in front of the Portuguese embassy reflects a widespread trend within Israeli society, manifested in a growing desire to leave in search of lost stability and a future beyond the borders of the Jewish state. This scene could become a symbol of a new phase of internal transformations in Israel.