Israelis are increasingly fearful of the prospect of a Palestinian state at their doorstep. And they know that without the West Bank, Israel is just nine miles wide at its narrowest point. There is also the emotional issue for those who identify the West Bank as the heart of the biblical Jewish homeland promised by God. Israel has also invested heavily in roads and infrastructure connecting and serving the West Bank settlements, now home to some 400,000 people. In some more outlying settlements, Mr. Arieli said, the population was decreasing as Israelis were “voting with their feet” by not moving in, or moving out.

Source: New York Times February 16, 2017 23:07 UTC