The Demon of Demography

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bence between them and Jews declines, so will grow the pres- bsures. The confrontation will come years before we reach the b‘red line’—the line of equality in population.”

bThe confrontation will come as the Arabs of Israel con- bstitute one-quarter or one-third of the state. Riots and rebellion bwill be seen on television screens all over the world. Bombs will bgo off, and bloody clashes between soldiers and Arab civilians bwill take scores of lives. The “moderate” Uncle Ahmed Arabs bwill disappear from the scene, and demands for the incorpora- btion of the Galilee and the Triangle into a “Palestinian” state bwill be heard. World opinion will be galvanized against Israel, band American Jewry will be torn by debates. In the Knesset the btwenty-five or thirty Arab members will disrupt sessions with bdemands for autonomy and proper representation for Arabs. bAliya to Israel will dwindle to a trickle, for who will wish to leave ba non-Jewish land for one that is headed in that direction? On bthe other hand, there will be a tremendous rise in emigration bfrom the country as talented people flee, causing a serious short- bage in manpower in the armed forces and in technology.

bDemands for a greater share in the state, for the right to live bin Jewish cities, for the right to hold top jobs, and for total equal- bity for the Arab in Israel will lead to mob confrontations and bmake whole areas of Israel unsafe for Jews to travel. The frustra- btion and self-control of the Sabra will explode, and he will, more band more, ask why he must suffer for this Zionist-Jewish concept bthat means so little to him anyhow. Greater intermarriage and bintermingling on top of his fear of war and tension will lead to bgreater support for a binational state. Jewish support for the bstate will dramatically drop off, for it will no longer be the Jew- bish state.

bLong before the arrival of an Arab majority in Israel, there bwill be prior demands—all gaining force through the annual, bimmutable growth of Arab population: demands for greater po- blitical power and representation in Knesset and cabinet; de- bmands for “autonomy” in the Galilee and Triangle; demands bfor the annexation of those areas to any “Palestine” state that bmight arise; demands for the return of the “Palestinian” refu- bgees to their homes and property in Israel.

bDemography and democracy. Both combine to prick the billusions and delusions. Both force the Jew to look honestly at b