Israel's Population: 6.5 Million

Israel's total population in 2002 is 6.5 million people. But only 37% of the total world Jewish population live in Israel. Since 1948, 2.902 million olim immigrated to Israel. The sub-division is 81% Jews, 19% Arabs or Muslims (they tend to define themselves as Palestinians with Israeli identity cards).

As to the burden of Israel's non-stop wars or military conflicts, we should know the following sad statistics: from 1948 to 2002, 1550 Israelis were murdered by terrorists (from 1860 to 2002 more than 21,000 were murdered). From October 2000 to April 2002 (the last 'intifada') 319 were murdered and 3133 were wounded. Last March, 104 Israelis were murdered and 833 were wounded.

A population explosion is a daily topic in Israel because the Muslim rate of fertility is much higher than that of the Israeli Jewish population. Israel, in order to preserve its identity, needs, in the coming 25 years, at least 100,000 olim each year! Of course, one should keep in mind the situation in Gaza and the West Bank! D - 1 - NEWS May '02 PART I

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