From: imbibe@mindspring.com   
      
   The Catalyst of Overpopulation in the Gaza Conflict   
   By Jon Austen and Jane O’Sullivan, Oct 17, 2023, The Over Project   
   The Israel-Palestine conflict has been ongoing for 75 years. The recent   
   eruption of violence is a tragedy but not surprising. Neither side is going to   
   back down, both are redoubling their efforts, both know that they are right   
   and the other side is at    
   fault. Neither offers a viable solution.   
      
   From its very beginning, peace has eluded Israel, due to the difficulties of   
   accommodating the nationalist aspirations of two peoples in one small land.    
   International peace efforts have repeatedly failed and now we have an   
   escalation which is horrifying    
   the whole world. Israel has taken a very painful blow and will retaliate in   
   kind. Take a step back, however, and a fundamental catalyst is missed: rapidly   
   increasing numbers of people on both sides.   
      
   Whenever two differing peoples with increasing numbers are forced to share   
   limited resources, conflict arises. Deteriorating living conditions are   
   inevitable due to population increase, but each side blames the other for its   
   woes. Sides are taken and    
   grudges for past aggressions fester, regardless of the retribution already   
   meted out.   
      
   When both sides decide that their security depends on more people, it becomes   
   a pact of mutual destruction. In both Palestine and Israel, such sentiments   
   are often voiced: the Palestinians to produce soldiers to avenge their people,   
   the Israelis to    
   strengthen the Zionist project and expand its territories (some still feel   
   they need to replace Jews lost in the Holocaust).   
      
   Both sides are increasing in numbers far more than surrounding countries. Some   
   groups on both sides claim to be following God’s directives. For reasons of   
   pride, religion and nationalism, any mention of managing numbers is met with   
   immediate dismissal    
   and contempt by both sides, considered too ridiculous to even consider. Given   
   the impossibility of so many people flourishing harmoniously on such a small   
   resource base, and given the continual increase in potential grievances, an   
   endless cycle of war,    
   oppression and bitterness is therefore the default option.   
      
   Palestine’s population has risen from 1 million to 5 million since 1970 and   
   absolute numbers are rising faster than at any point in history, with another   
   100,000 added every year, despite falls in fertility over those decades, as   
   well as considerable    
   emigration. The median age is under 20, compared to the UK which is 42. The   
   Gaza Strip is home to two million people with a population density of over   
   5,000 per square kilometre. This makes it one of the most densely populated   
   places on the planet. This    
   is in a tiny area of virtual desert, leaving people close to poverty with the   
   majority of the population depending on international aid.   
      
   Israel’s population has risen from around 2 million to 9 million since 1960   
   with absolute numbers still rising at roughly 130,000 per year and a with a   
   median age of 29. Having only recently tipped below 3 children per woman, it   
   has the highest    
   fertility of any Western, industrialised country. Despite Israel’s admirable   
   achievements in greening the desert and leading the world in water use   
   efficiency and water recycling, it depends on imports for all staple foods.   
   [CHART]   
   Population rise is not the sole cause of this conflict, but it is a factor. It   
   is never the spark, but a large share of the tinder.   
      
   The world has turned a blind eye to demographics in this area for fear of   
   upsetting people and “blaming the victims” rather than oppressors or   
   terrorists. This is despite evidence from around the world that countries with   
   stable populations are    
   happier and their citizens have better lives. Had both sides not engaged in   
   rapid population growth and remained at a manageable 3 million, instead of a   
   combined 14 million now, it is feasible that Israelis and Palestinians could   
   be peaceful neighbours.    
   Moreover, even if conflicts had continued, a stabilized population of 3   
   million would have meant fewer victims in wars and pandemics.   
      
   This is a prime example where overpopulation is a glaring factor in a crisis   
   but is not considered by any news outlets and plays no part in negotiations   
   for peace. This is a complete failure on both sides and by international   
   negotiators, and a tragedy    
   for all those involved. There’s no easy way of pointing out harsh truths   
   about population’s impact on this problem, but acknowledging its role would   
   be a start. For anyone with such interest, Alon Tal’s excellent book “The   
   land is full.    
   Addressing overpopulation in Israel” (2016) is a good start. As Paul and   
   Anne Ehrlich write in the Foreword, “If there is any glimmer of light [in   
   the region], it is this brilliant book”.   
      
   Until both sides lower birth rates and stabilise their populations, there is   
   no peaceful end to the conflict in sight. Peace can only mean a temporary   
   truce, until tensions build further under the pressure of overpopulation.   
      
   https://overpopulation-project.com/the-catalyst-of-overpopulatio   
   -in-the-gaza-conflict/   
      
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