The Population of Jews and Muslims in the 'Holy Land' Has Become Equal

According to statistics cited by an Israeli official, the population of Jews and Muslims residing in the areas between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River has nearly become equal, raising the question of whether Israel can remain a democracy if it maintains control over Palestinian territories. Reuters reports that this new demographic census has been provided to the Israeli parliament by the authority responsible for managing the occupied territories in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Both Israel and the Palestinians are closely monitoring population growth as it could impact the resolution of the Middle East crisis, especially on the eve of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Israel next month. The report states that since the so-called two-state solution has been at an impasse since 2014, some argue that if Israel retains the Palestinian territories it has occupied for 51 years, it will eventually have to choose between maintaining a democratic system or denying Palestinians the right to vote. A military official responsible for managing the occupied territories reported to the Israeli parliament that the latest estimates indicate that between 2.5 to 2.7 million Palestinians live in the occupied territories. He added that according to Palestinian census data, this figure is about three million. The head of the Israeli parliament's Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee also stated that by adding the approximately two million people living in Gaza, the total population living in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967 reaches five million. Considering the Arab population residing in Israel, which the statistics office estimates at about 1.84 million, the total Arab population living within Israel and the territories occupied by it reaches about 6.5 million. According to Israeli statistics, the population of Jews living in the areas between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River is also approximately the same figure. Reuters adds that extensive Jewish settlement in the occupied territories has weakened the hopes of Palestinians for establishing an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Another factor undermining Palestinian efforts has been the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital by Donald Trump, the former U.S. president. Organizations advocating for Jewish settlers in the occupied territories quickly opposed the figures provided by Israeli officials, claiming that according to a new survey, the number of Palestinians living in the West Bank is only 1.8 million. However, an Arab member of the Israeli parliament described these figures as accurate, adding, 'We have known these figures for a long time.' He stated that without the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, Israel is moving towards a one-state solution, which would mean either enforcing apartheid in the country or accepting the election of an Arab-Palestinian prime minister.