Area C of the West Bank has an overwhelmingly Jewish population

[Pleepleus]

From the August 2011 "Displacement and Insecurity in Area C of the West Bank" report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory:

The total Palestinian population of Area C is estimated at around 150,000, two-thirds of whom live in localities which are partly located in Area A and B, and one-third in communities located entirely in Area C. This report focuses on the latter, which generally face more severe humanitarian and protection needs, compared to those that are only partially located in Area C. Of those living entirely in Area C, approximately 18,500 live in small, sedentary villages and 27,500 reside in Bedouin and other herding communities, many in remote areas.

http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/...2578DF006748BE


The roughly 350,000 Israeli settlers currently make up around 70% of Area C's population. According to the UN, only 46,000 Arabs live in communities located entirely within Area C of the West Bank. That means with slight modifications to the Area C boundries, that area's population would be 88% Jewish!

These lands are strategic and control of them prevents the West Bank from turning into another Gaza on the highlands overlooking Israel's main population centers from Jerusalem to Haifa.

As soon as it is clear that the peace process is death, Israel should expand Area B slightly and annex Area C!

[Pleepleus]

A Jewish growth rate of 18% in just three years despite freezes on new homes for Jews for part of that time. Abbas is an absolute idiot not to negotiate with Israel immediately without preconditions. By the time he gets around to negotiating, there will be hundreds of thousands more Jews in Area C who will not be going anywhere.

With Area C's population overwhelmingly Jewish and fastly growing, why should it be ceded to the Palestinians? Let the people of Area C decide for themselves if they want to be in Israel or Palestine.

Jewish growth in Judea and Samaria has outstripped Arab growth in the past three years – either because of or despite of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

The Associated Press reported the figures and reasoned that the Jewish growth of 18 percent in three years is a result of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s policies, but the truth may be the opposite. Under American pressure, he slapped a 10-month freeze on building new homes for Jews in Judea and Samaria in order to satisfy Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ conditions for a resumption of the moribund “peace process” for the establishment the Palestinian Authority as an independent country.

Abbas rejected the freeze as not fulfilling all of his demands, and direct talks never took place except for one short ceremonial discussion in Washington. When the freeze expired, Defense Minister Ehud Barak continued a de facto freeze, refusing to sign building permits for several months longer and choking off opportunities for newcomers to live in Judea and Samaria.

A large part of the 18 percent growth came from the relatively high birth rate of Jews in Judea and Samaria, not from new families moving from urban centers...

source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Ne...4#.T_4ddpB0gfx

[Pleepleus]

It looks like my estimate was right on the money:

The numbers which appear below in the Official Population Statistics of Judea and Samaria (Yesha), aka the West Bank, are not readily accessible to the general public. They come directly from the Population Registry of Israel's Interior Ministry and are painstakingly gathered and formulated by the office of Knesset Member Yaakov “Ketzaleh” Katz.
The growing number of Jews in Judea and Samaria is getting the attention of influential people. Despite headlines of world leaders planning a Palestinian State on Jew-free turf, a slow and quiet Jewish population explosion there has already rendered these designs wholly unrealistic.

As of June 30, 2012, there are over 350,000 Jews living in Judea and Samaria (not including the more than 300,000 in the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem which are also technically the West Bank).

source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Ar...0#.UEpmkoejgfw

[Pleepleus]

Yippee! More info on the fast growing Jewish population of Area C. Gracias LA Times!

The number of Jewish settlers in the West Bank has crossed the 350,000 mark for the first time, and most of the growth –- now about 4.5% annually –- is coming outside the major settlement blocs in areas that are not expected to become part of Israel under a two-state solution, according to a report Thursday in the pro-government Israel Hayom newspaper.

At 350,143, the Jewish population in the West Bank has nearly doubled since 2000, when it was 190,206, said the newspaper, quoting data from the Interior Ministry. Over the last year, 15,600 new settlers were reported living in the West Bank.

The figures do not include the nearly 300,000 Jewish residents who have moved into East Jerusalem and large developments around the Jerusalem area...

source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/worl...0000-mark.html

[Pleepleus]

Just posted at the Forward:

Area C is 70% Jewish. These settlers are halutzim and will enable Israel to eventually annex these strategic lands vital for Israel's survival.

The longer Palestinians refuse to negotiate and continue in vain to get an independent state at the UN without making peace, the larger the Jewish majority will be in Area C! Non-binding decisions in the UN General Assembly and by the ICJ will NEVER change facts on the ground.

The Palestinians currently control about 10% of the original manadate's territory. If they refuse to negotiate a comprehensive peace agreement, then that is all they will ever control. As ever, they are their own worse enemies.

Thanks to all the left-wing liberals who encourage the Palestinians in their intransigence instead of encouraging them to drop their preconditions and negotiate. You are the settler's best friend.

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/162783/s...#ixzz26dAB6KsF

[NewsGuy]

Area C is 70% Jewish. These settlers are halutzim and will enable Israel to eventually annex these strategic lands vital for Israel's survival.

Amen to that.