In Shabbat's Haaretz, there was a worrying article by Meron Rappaport. (I have searched for the article online and not found it ... I wonder why they chose not to post it?) The article says something like this.
The govt. is offering lots of incentives to move to Yishuvim (villages) in the Galil. This, all with an aim to Judaise the Galil. Nice idea, don't you think? Well, listen to this!
What is REALLY happening is that most people who take these benefits are not from Tel Aviv. They are actually already living in Galilee towns. They are moving out of Carmiel and Natzeret Illit and Maalot to nice houses with gardens in nice moshavim and yishuvim.
And who is buying their homes in the cities? Arabs. So the worry is that if this continues, Natzeret Illit, Maalot and Carmiel will soon be "mixed" towns. Or as one Galil Arab put it, in 10 years time, there will be an Arab mayor of Natzeret Illit!
already 62% of children born in the Galil are Arab. Worrying to say the least. Here we are discussing the West Bank and annapolis and before our very eyes, the Bedouins are populating the Negev and the Israeli Arabs are moving into our prime Galilee towns. And even the govt. initiative is backfiring!!
And do you know what the mayor of Natzeret said when faced with these statistics? - "Don't worry, we'll open a neighbourhood for Haredim... look what they did in Beit Shemesh?"
Anyhow, yet another worrying phenomenon in our lovely land. (in case you were feeling like theer was nothing in particular troubling you today.) Boy! sometimes the sheer number of challenges seems way too much!
UPDATE (Nov 21) - see this article in Jpost. Demographic threats. Worrying indeed! Most worrying line says that in TWELVE years "Jewish and Palestinian population figures in about 12 years from now will be equal, he said, but two years later, the Jews will be a minority. " What implications does this have for the Peace process?
No comments:
Post a Comment