Statistics bureau: Muslim growth rate on the decline in Israel
Muslim community's growth rate dropped one percent in 2009 from 3.8 percent last year.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Israel newsThe birthrate of the Muslim community in Israel is declining, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics ahead of Eid al-Adha, the Muslim Feast of the Sacrifice.
According to the bureau's report, the Muslim community's growth rate dropped one percent in 2009 to 2.8 percent, down from 3.8 percent in 2008. However, the Muslim growth rate is still the highest among all groups in Israel, with the Druze population growing at 1.8 percent a year, Christian-Arabs at 1.3 percent and Jews at 1.6 percent a year.
The report, released ahead of the Muslim holiday beginning Friday, indicates that there are more than 1.24 million Muslims currently living in Israel, most of which live in the north, while the largest Muslim population in a city, 20 percent, resides in Jerusalem.
There are more than 225,000 Muslim families in the country, while in the south each family has an average of 6.9 children, and in the north 3.9 children per family.
This figure is also the highest in the country, while Jews have an average of Jews average 2.9 children per woman, Druse 2.5, Christians 2.1.
The majority of Israeli Muslims are young; almost half are below the age of 14, and only 3 percent are above the age of 65.
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rate of Muslims in Israel. They are peaceful and friendly Muslims.l
We have extensive experience with the question of population growth during the last century. The one sure-fire method of controlling population growth is to improve the standard of living. There is an inverse relationship between family size and economic status. Raise the standard of living of Israeli Arabs and you will reduce their family size without any repressive actions being required.
Despite the decline this continues to be tragic news for the Jewish state. It is amazing though how many right wing charletans will seize on this apparent decline as an additional reason to hold onto the territories. As if the the figure of half the the Muslims in the country being under the age of 14 is a good thing. Imagine in a few years when this group starts reproducing. Wait for the demands that will emanate from that quarter and let's see how long it will take for civil war to come. Very bad news indeed!