Subject: Re: kidding ourselves
After the 1967 war, the Palestinians were offered Israeli citizenship. As part of these discussions, I looked up some details and read that. They refused. So they were welcomed as potential citizens, but declined. That's on them.

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I remember that but I get the distinct feeling that had that path been pursued, conservative Israelis would have viewed a Palestinian minority as an electoral / demographic threat that could eventually make Jews a numerical minority within the state of Israel and undo Israel's status as a Jewish state.

There are currently about 2.1 million Arabs within Israel making up 21% of the total population. There are about 5.0 million Palestinians in the territories. Had a decision been reached to assimilate within Israel proper, one could imagine today a total of 7.1 million Arabs amidst a total population of about 15.1 million. Nearly a majority.


WTH