Nine & Still Growing

Throughout the taut and tiny land of Israel blue-and-white flags bearing the Star of David fluttered proudly in observance of the ninth Independence Day celebration of the Middle East's fastest-growing and toughest nation. But even more symbolic of Israel's independent spirit was the arrival, in five boatloads, of 2,600 immigrants, the largest number to arrive in a single day since 1951.

So far this year more than 33,000 immigrants have gone to Israel in the biggest wave in six years; before the year is out the figure is expected to reach 100,000. Many of the latest wave have come from Egypt; of 17,000 Jews who fled Egypt since the Israeli invasion of Sinai, 8,000 have gone to Israel. Other immigrants came from French North Africa, Poland, and the Arab Middle East. Many fled, fearing persecution; most arrived broke.

Israel's population now stands at 1,800,000. Said Defense Ministry Director Shimon Peres last week: "Israel's security will not be assured until we have a population of 5,000,000." To which Israel's worried Arab neighbors ask: How long will it be before Israel is demanding Lebensraum?

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.