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As a
time when Israel has received over a million immigrants, mostly
Russian Jews, in
recent years, there are some in Israel who like to disclaim any
direct or indirect blame f
or
the emigration of Palestinians from the Holy Land. Others, in an
attempt to confuse
issues, point to the rise of Islamic radicalism as a cause for the
emigration of Christians.
As
outlined in this paper, it is clear that the characteristics of the
Christian community make
emigration a feasible alternative, especially since the political
situation does not offer
prospects for stability and economic advancement. The factors which
encourage Christians
to
leave probably function in a similar manner among other Palestinians
with the same
economic, educational and social characteristics. It goes without
saying that a government
which runs a military occupation will not put as one of its
priorities the halting of emigration
among the occupied population.
The
argument that Islamic radicalism has led to Christian emigration
from the Holy Land is
not
supported either by the findings of various surveys, or of the
social reality of the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip. The reasons cited for emigration among
hundreds of
respondents do not include reference to Islamic radicalism, and
while some of the
respondents have expressed concern over the rise of Islamic
radicalism on future
prospects of coexistence, this was not, of itself, a sufficient
cause to think seriously of
leaving the country. Those who argue that Islamic radicalism is the
cause of Palestinian
Christian emigration wish to obscure the fact that interrelated
political and economic factors
are
the primary reasons for the departure of Palestinians, Christians
and others, from their
homeland.
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