West Bank Jewish population growing

Jewish Population in West Bank Expanding.

JERUSALEM - As Israel basked in world admiration for pulling out of the Gaza Strip, new official figures released Friday showed the Jewish population of the West Bank is expanding rapidly, growing by more than 12,000 in the past year alone.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon made no secret of his desire to expand large West Bank settlement blocs even while withdrawing from areas he says became untenable for Israel to hold.

According to Interior Ministry figures, the Jewish population of the West Bank in June stood at 246,000, an increase of 12,800, or 5 percent, in one year.

Interior Ministry spokesman Gilad Heiman said the Jewish population increase stemmed from new births and an influx of new residents, though he could not provide a breakdown.

That figure may be boosted further following the removal of some 8,500 people from 21 settlements in Gaza, many of whom found temporary shelter in West Bank settlements and may look there for permanent homes.

This is good news. I was pleased to read this. Hopefully those displaced Israelis from Gaza won't be forcefully evicted from these new West Bank areas they are settling in down the road when the Paleswinians claim dibs.

Posted by Kyer at August 27, 2005 02:47 PM | TrackBack