| Demography: The Inevitability of Palestine |
| Israel 1948-2048 R. I. P. |
| Israeli intellectuals are greatly consumed with the demographic "problem" of Israeli Palestinians. In 2001, Israel had a population of about 6.5 million people of whom only 77.2% were Jews (and only 45% were born in Israel/Palestine). This percentage is of great concern to Israelis. After the anti-Arab purges of the late '40s, the former Arab-Palestinian majority of the "Jewish State" was reduced to 15% of the population. Now, in spite of 3 million post-1948 Jewish immigrants, the Israeli Arab-Palestinian population has grown through higher birth rates to 20% of the population. If current growth rates continue, Israel's Centennial Celebration will mark the end of the Jewish majority. Even without the return of Palestinian refugees, by 2015, the Palestinian population of Israel and Occupied Palestine will outnumber Jews. In a 2002 opinion poll, 30% of Israeli respondents supported the forcible transfer of ISRAELI Palestinians out of Eretz Israel. SIXTY percent supported encouraging them to leave the country. Transfer is the official policy of the right-wing National Union Party. The National Union holds several seats in the Israeli Knesset and 2 Cabinet positions. The Government of Ariel Sharon is made of several ministers who support transfer. The Party Platforms of 18 of the 23 ministers in his cabinet also explicited reject the acceptance of a Palestinian State in the Occupied Territories. Likud: �Flatly rejects the establishment of a Palestinian Arab state west of the Jordan river.� Source: www.knesset.gov.il/elections/knesset15/elikud_m.htm National Union: �Absolutely rejects the idea of a Palestinian state between Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.� Supports "voluntary transfer." Source: www.israelvotes.com/demo/platforms_unity.htm National Religious Party: �The State of Israel alone shall exist between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea. No Palestinian state or any other foreign sovereign entity shall be established in this area.� Source: www.israel-mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH01fx0 The Platform of the Shinui Party which occupies the remaining 5 Cabinet positions has the "moderate" position: "Israel will not evacuate settlement blocs, and these will be integrated within Israel's borders." Source: http://www.shinui.org.il/elections/eng/principles.html This page is maintained by Dane Coefer, American. |