The State of Israel and Future Threats - Case Study Example

The State of Israel and Future Threats Considerable interest on the issue of Israel's security has always been based on external threats due to the surrounding groups and states that have territorial and religious claim in parts of Israel. However, external threat is not the only security issue that the country must be prepared to handle going forward based on the diversity in terms of religious beliefs and demographic compositions of Israel’s population. Analysis of internal threat to Israel security reflects two areas of concern including a high population growth rate for the Palestinian Arabs and Muslims compared to the Israelis whose consequence might be a shift in balance of power within Israel in the coming days. Additionally, the number of ultra-Orthodox Jews has close been growing at a considerably higher rate compared to those of other Israelis based on the available figures representing statistics on birth rates for all Israeli demographic groups. This essay explores the effect of the two factors on the future of internal security in Israel based on the beliefs that these groups hold in reference to government policies. Increase the Palestinian Arabs and Muslims The first factor when considering the internal threats to Israel's security is the continued increase in the Palestinian Arabs and Muslims. The balance of power within Israel might be at risk given that the rate of population growth for the Palestinian Arabs and Muslims has been higher than that of the Israelis.1 After, the establishment of Israel as a country, the number of Jews in the country recorded an increase rate that was higher than other groups within the country. Data presented by Rebhun, Malach and Gavison indicates the population of Jews in Israel grew to 89 in 1968 of total residents from 82 percent recorded in 1958. However, this percentage as far as the total population is concerned has seen a negative growth with the figure falling to 86 percent in 1968 and further down at 76 percent in the most recent survey2. Friedlander traces the high birth rate for the Palestinian Arabs and Muslims to early3 when Palestine society was composed of a population whose main economic activity was agriculture. Large family seizes was encouraged since having many children ensured the agricultural society has adequate labor leading to a high fertility rate of approximately about 7.5-8.0 births per woman. The consequence of these high birth rates has been a steady increase in the Arab population in Israel with the three main subgroups made up of Muslims, Druze and Christians recording different growth rates. Muslim subgroup has a higher growth rate among the three, which has seen the subgroup making up to 83 percent from 70 percent of the total non-Jewish. However, that of the Druze and Christians has reduced to 8 percent for each subgroup from 9 percent and 21 percent respectively recorded in 1948. Apart from the high birth rate among the Arab population in Israel, Rebhun, Malach and Gavison note the role played by large-scale family-unification immigration from Palestinian authority areas4. While the population of Arabs in Israel has been increasing steadily due to immigration, the growth rate in population of Jews due to immigration into country has reduced considerably. While the percent of Jews immigrating to Israel was 65 percent between 1990 and 1995, this percentage has since dropped to 39 in the 1990s and 12 percent for 2000 to 2006 (22). Due to historical differences between Arabs and Jews populations living in Israel, Muslims and Arabs in Israel have a lower socioeconomic status. Friedlander argues “the major factor behind this wide socioeconomic gap is the differential opportunity structure” Arabs face increased challenges in attainment of higher status employment, which has a negative consequence on motivations to achieve higher educational levels5. The threat from within Israel posed by Palestinian Arabs and Muslims is due to the perception that most of the members of this demographic group “rejects if not opposes Israel as a Jewish and democratic state” 6. Consequently, Arabs and Muslims perceive the current population growth rate within Israel where the birth rate and immigration of Palestinian Arabs and Muslims is higher than that of Jews and Christians as a future security threat due to a possible overshadowing of the majority Jew population in the coming decades. Increase the Number of Ultra-Orthodox Jews The higher population growth rate ultra-Orthodox Jews compared to other Israeli groups is a factor to be noted in the discussion of future threat to Israel’s security. The demographic analysis presented by Friedlander presents the fertility rates of different subgroups in Israel with that of the ultra-Orthodox Jews indicating a rise since the 1950s where the average was 3.9 births per woman for the entire Jewish population7. The author notes a combination of factors such as early marriage and having children within a few months after marriage among the factors that has transformed the fertility rate of ultra-Orthodox Jews to the current 6.0-7.0 between years 1995 and 20008. This rate is high compared to all other categories of Israeli population where for instance the Jewish non-religious group being 2.0-2.2, Arab Christian population being at 2.6 while Arab Moslems and Druze have fertility rate of 4.0. Although the existence of this group of Israeli does not pose a direct security challenge to the Israel society, it is their beliefs and choices in some fundamental matters of security that is of concern. The ultra-Orthodox Jews follow strict religious doctrines that have made them oppose “the values of that larger world”9. Among the stands held by the ultra-Orthodox Jews that have a consequence on security in Israel is their opposition to military service by their members. The group has been involved in a number of actions that are seen as being contrary to government strategy in ensuring sustainable territorial control. One such action is in the rejection of the draft law proposing jail sentence on yeshiva students in cases where existing draft quotas are not realised10. The group is known to be in opposition to the recruitment of remembers of their religious group for military service11. Continue rise in the population of the ultra-Orthodox Jews while those of other Israeli groups such as the non-religious population of European and American origins. Moreover, citizens of Asian and African origins continue to decline or remain low mean the country will in future have a greater number of population who oppose compulsory military service therefore reducing the number of citizens who are willing to join the service to protect their territory. From the foregoing, there is an internal threat to Israeli security, which emerges from the continued increase in the number of Palestinian Arabs and Muslims and that of ultra-Orthodox Jews. The increase in Palestinian Arabs and Muslims population relative to that of other Israelis poses a security risk to Israel based on their rejection and opposes to existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. However, the security threat from ultra-Orthodox Jews is due to their opposition of the country’s draft policies as they seek to avoid laws forcing members of their religion joining the military. Bibliography Della Pergola, Sergio. "Israel’s Existential Predicament: Population, Territory, and Identity." Current History 109 (2010): 383-389. Print. Ettinger, Yair. 'Ultra-Orthodox To Rally Against Draft Law In Jerusalem'. Haaretz.com 2014. Web. 19 May. 2014. Friedlander, Dov. "Fertility in Israel: Is the transition to replacement level in sight?” New York: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2004: 440-447. Rebhun, Uzi, Gilad Malach, and Ruth Gavison. Demographic Trends in Israel. Jerusalem: Metzilah Center for Zionist, Jewish, Liberal and Humanist Thought, 2009. Print. Stadler, Nurit, and Eyal Ben-Ari. "Other-Worldly Soldiers? Ultra-Orthodox Views of Military Service in Contemporary Israel." Israel Affairs 9.4 (2003): 17-48. Read More