The future population of Israel and Palestine.

In 2000, Israel‘s population reached 6.1 million, excluding the Palestinians living in the occupied and annexed territories but including the Jews living in settlements. The population of Jerusalem (both parts) numbered 650,000, among which 210,000 non- Jews, mostly Palestinian (228,000 according to Palestinian sources). The Jewish population rose from 717,000 in 1948 to 5.1 million in 2000, due to an exceptionally high growth rate (3.8% per year) of which 49% is due to net immigration. The Palestinian citizens of Israel (also called Israeli Arabs), who in 1948, after the exodus, numbered only 156,000, have now risen to nearly a million (948,000).

Youssef Courbage