Israel's Predicament

Much has been written on the demographic dilemma that lay ahead for Israel. In addition to a booming Palestinian population, the Israeli Arab birth rates within the Jewish state's own borders continue to outpace those of their Jewish citizens (excluding the latter's more orthodox and devout communities).

Andrew Lee Butters of TIME's Middle East Blog reports on one consequence of Israel's demographic predicament and the effects it's having on the nation's military:

Just as Israel's leadership has shifted from a kibbutz-born generation of military men towards those with business backgrounds and the corruption scandals to prove it, young Israelis have taken a less idealistic and more careerist approach to the military. They jockey to get training in valuable skills, or work family connections to get into elite units, which, like prestigious fraternities, help them build social contacts and job opportunities out in the real world. And the changing role of the military since 1967 -- from campaigns against standing Arab armies to sticky counterinsurgency operations in Lebanon to the occupation in the West Bank and Gaza -- hasn't exactly helped morale either.

Moreover, the fastest growing parts of Israeli society are those that are exempt from military service: Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jews. (Many ultra-Orthodox don't recognize the legitimacy of the man-made state of Israel, and are waiting for God to do the job himself.) By some tallies, only 56 percent of young Israelis now join the military. Because Arab and especially ultra-Orthodox birth rates are much higher than other Israelis, military service could soon become a minority experience.

Demographics may be the deciding factor in the war for the Holy Land. While Israel's more secular and Westernized residents continue to mirror the behavior of those in Europe, her more orthodox and religiously zealous citizens stand ready to assume the country's majority. This puts a new light on the one-state/two-state debate, and places the onus of resolution on the Israelis.

Butters describes an Israel that has lost the expansive and nationalist zeal it was once known for. While the country's "Jewishness" may remain intact, its founding identity is clearly in jeopardy. In order to preserve this, Israel has to accelerate and promote the peace process, as hobbled and flawed it may be to date. One need only observe the way in which the IDF pulled out of Gaza, or the way in which they deal with militants in the occupied territories. Israel understands the urgency, and they realize that a few flawed options today are far better than the one facing them down the road.