Israel's plans to increase population are threatened as thousands flee vio

Alarm over emigration levels is growing among Israel's political leadership as the country's Jews - many of them recent immigrants - seek to escape the violence of the second intifada and recession.

The government wants to bring another million Jews to Israel by 2010. Yet figures released by the absorption ministry, responsible for helping new immigrants, have revealed that an estimated 760,000 Israelis are living abroad, up from 550,000 in 2000.

Only 23,000 people are expected to move to the Holy Land this year, the lowest figure since 1989. Tzipi Livni, the absorption minister, has described immigration as being in a "tailspin".

"I feel betrayed," said Hila, 37, whose husband, Dror, is also 37. "I don't want to raise my children in such a brutal society... My grandparents had such high ideals. What has become of Israel makes me so sad and bitter."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/30/wmid30.xml&sSheet=/portal/2003/11/30/ixportal.html

Many families head for Canada. So far 6,000 Israelis have moved there this year, double last year's total.

And many Americans will be joining them if Bush steals the 2004 Election.

The answer to Israel's problems lies in peace. Peace is good. Peace is better than war. Occupation is bad and expensive, as are the settlements.