If you’re an Israeli living abroad, you probably miss the ease of tuning into your favorite TV shows, sports, and up-to-the-minute news. So, what’s changed? Unfortunately, most Israeli TV channels, like Kan 11 and Keshet 12, are geo-restricted to viewers back home, so watching from abroad isn’t as simple as just logging in.
In short, you can’t access Israeli TV channels directly from abroad unless you change your IP address to one based in Israel. How, you wonder? Fortunately, there are several workarounds. The most convenient and reliable option is to use a virtual private network (VPN) with servers in Israel to mask your IP address and replace it with an Israeli one.
Don’t worry; it’s much easier than it sounds, and in this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know. As a bonus, we’ll recommend the best VPNs for watching Israeli TV from outside Israel.
Watch Israeli TV Channels Outside Israel in 4 Steps
Unblocking the content and resources you’re interested in from outside Israel isn’t rocket science like some people assume it is. As for approaches, you could use proxy servers, smart DNS, or even the TOR network.
However, a VPN is more reliable than these options and has the added benefit of encrypting your network so you’re virtually anonymous online. Below, you’ll learn how to unblock Israeli TV channels abroad using a VPN with servers in the country.
Step 1: Subscribe to a VPN Service
You want a reliable one with a proven track record. Your chosen provider must not only be able to change your IP address to Israel but also have excellent unblocking capabilities and deliver fast connection speeds.
That last part is especially essential because VPNs negatively impact your speed due to the extra processing load they add to your internet connection. So, your VPN should ensure that the effect is not intense enough that it ruins your experience.
We recommend NordVPN, the best VPN for Israel. It’s got everything you need to bypass geo-restrictions seamlessly, plus a robust toolkit of high-level features. Plus, it comes with a collection of super-fast servers in Israel.
Head to the VPN’s checkout page and provide the required payment information to complete the subscription.
Step 2: Download and Install the VPN Application
With the subscription successfully completed, navigate to the VPN’s download page. The top providers support various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV.
Your other gadgets aren’t left out, with manual configurations (primarily via router connection) for streaming devices, gaming consoles, and more.
Want to use the VPN for Android or on your iPhone? You could download and install the app directly from the respective app stores before signing up for the VPN subscription.
Step 3: Connect to a VPN Server in Israel
Open the newly installed app on your computer, smartphone, or smart TV and log in using your account credentials.
Head over to the server menu. Search “Israel” in the text field or scroll through the server locations until you find the country. Click to establish a connection between your device and the Israeli server.
All that’s left to do is wait a few seconds until you receive a prompt indicating a successful connection.
Step 4: Watch Israeli TV Live Abroad
As soon as the VPN activates your connection to a server located in Israel, you’re set to resume streaming. The TV websites and apps you visit will detect an Israeli TV IP address, essentially meaning you’re digitally present in Israel.
Consequently, they’ll be “forced” to allow you to watch all the live news and programming you’re interested in.
Now, keep in mind that the success of the approach we just discussed depends on your VPN’s unblocking capabilities. Some providers just don’t make the cut when it comes to bypassing geo-blocks, even if they offer servers in Israel.
So, which VPNs are up to the task? Stick with us, and we’ll walk you through the best options.
The Best VPNs for Watching Israeli TV Abroad
Unblocking prowess aside, your ideal Israeli VPN should deliver fast enough speeds and top-notch privacy and security. We’ve done some digging, and here are the three best VPNs for streaming Israeli TV channels when you’re overseas.
1. NordVPN
As mentioned earlier, this big-name provider is the best VPN for Israel. In fact, it’s the best option on the market, period.
This provider is constantly upgrading the size of its network. Currently, it has over 6,600 servers in 111 countries, including more than twenty in Tel Aviv. So, getting an Israeli IP address from anywhere is easy, and you never have to worry about congestion or slowdowns.
NordVPN breezed through unblocking popular channels like Keshet 12 and Kan 11 during our tests. And if you’re switching from live TV to on-demand shows, the VPN has you covered there too. We can confirm that it effortlessly unblocks Netflix Israel and the Israeli libraries on virtually every other streaming service.
NordVPN’s speeds are consistently fast, and that’s something you want from a VPN while streaming. It achieves this by offering servers optimized for high-speed connections and a proprietary tunneling protocol built around WireGuard. So, even with the load from the VPN’s military-grade encryption, you can expect it to keep buffering and lag to a minimum.
Prefer the big screen? NordVPN offers a full-featured VPN app for Android TV and tvOS, so you can also watch Israeli TV abroad on a smart television. Not only that, it allows manual configurations on Roku and several other streaming devices. You can cover not one but up to ten of those devices under a single NordVPN subscription.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN, the best alternative to NordVPN, is another excellent option for streaming Israeli TV whenever you’re outside the country.
This one’s network isn’t as massive, but it still offers over 3,000 servers across 105 countries, including reliable options in Israel. That’s more than enough for your streaming purposes. Speaking of which, few VPNs are as capable when it comes to unlocking international libraries. Not only did ExpressVPN unblock every Israeli TV channel we attempted, but it mirrored that success with every streaming service we threw at it.
On top of that, ExpressVPN has made a name for being one of the fastest VPN services. Even while streaming in 4K quality, the provider keeps buffering to a minimum — in fact, it was all smooth sailing during our tests.
ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer is a bonus for those who want to stream on devices without native VPN support, like some smart TVs and streaming devices. That way, you get easy access to your favorite channels on almost any screen in your home or hotel.
One ExpressVPN subscription can handle up to eight devices simultaneously. That’s two less than NordVPN, but then you can always extend your VPN connection to every device on your local network with a compatible router.
3. Private Internet Access
United States-based Private Internet Access wraps up this list of the best VPNs for watching Israeli TV abroad. It stands out with an unlimited simultaneous connection allowance, which means you can connect all your devices — computers, phones, smart TVs, streaming devices — to the VPN without juggling multiple subscriptions.
On top of that, it comes with a vast network, with more servers than NordVPN and ExpressVPN combined. There are plenty of those in Israel and surrounding countries, so you can freely access regional content even from thousands of miles away.
Private Internet Access doesn’t always beat the most formidable geo-blocks. However, it promises to get you through to Israeli-specific streaming platforms. And it does just that — we experienced no hassles unblocking various television channels in our recent tests. Impressively, it even handled Netflix Israel, something it couldn’t manage when we last tried.
Moreover, thanks to the provider’s 10 Gbps servers, you can stream without slowdowns. Plus, there are no frustrating data caps or bandwidth limits to fret about since PIA is truly unlimited. Instead, connecting to a PIA allowed us to bypass ISP throttling and go on a marathon streaming session without interruptions.
Best of all, you’re not paying much to subscribe for that quality, as Private Internet Access offers some of the most affordable plans.
Can You Watch Israeli TV Abroad With a Free VPN?
That’s unlikely. Israel is something of a niche VPN location compared to countries like the US and the UK, which free VPNs generally prefer to stick to. Because of their limited server pools, they skip less common locations entirely.
But that’s not the only reason we don’t recommend free VPNs, with a few exceptions. They usually come with slower speeds (think those congested servers) and limited unblocking capabilities. Besides, data caps and bandwidth limits are pretty common — both factors that can severely disrupt your streaming experience.
To make matters [much] worse, many free VPNs don’t take privacy seriously. They log browsing data extensively for profit and can inject ads into your streaming sessions. Frustrating. You’re much better off using one of the better premium VPNs for streaming.
Final Thoughts
Looking to watch Israeli TV outside Israel? It doesn’t matter where you are; changing your IP address with a proven VPN is all it takes. With that, you can catch up on the news and your favorite programs and shows with a fast, stable connection.
In this article, we provided a step-by-step guide with comprehensive, easy-to-follow instructions. We also briefly discussed the best VPNs for streaming Israeli TV abroad, with our top choice being NordVPN. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans, so you can check it out risk-free.