People
The two main groups living in Israel and the Occupied Territories are Israeli and Arabs, the great majority of whom are Muslim, and Jews. Population demographics have had a significant effect on the situation in the Middle East. Dating from the late 19th century, migration rates and birthrates have played a key role in shaping strategies and causing anxiety on both sides.
The issue of Jewish immigration rates was an important factor in the outbreak of Arab unrest in the interwar period. Now, the tables have turned, and it is the growth of the Arab population that produces anxiety for some Jews. They envision an Israel as a democratic Jewish state that encompasses most, if not all, of what was once Palestine. However, at present, Palestinian Arabs comprise almost half of the population of this area. Furthermore, the Arab birthrate is significantly higher than that of the Jewish population, raising the possibility of Jews soon becoming a minority in such a state. As might be expected, this prospect is not appealing for the Jewish people, who, when existing as a minority in other countries, have been repeatedly subject to persecution.
