The demographic and political trajectory in Israel’s northern Galilee is not merely a local concern — it is a strategic challenge with national implications, according to Ofir Shik, chairman of Lev BaGalil (Heart in the Galilee), in a recent interview with HaKol HaYehudi.
Once a stronghold of Jewish settlement seen by early pioneers as a linchpin of national security, the Galilee is now facing pressures that extend far beyond housing statistics — and, if left unaddressed, could reshape the identity of the region itself.
Shik’s warning is stark: unless decisive action is taken, the drift in demographic balance will embolden Arab voices calling for autonomy and political claims antithetical to Israel’s sovereign interests. The interview followed a major HaKol HaYehudi investigation highlighting the weakening Jewish presence in the Galilee — a trend with both civic and security ramifications.
Beyond simple numbers
The population shifts unfolding in the Galilee reflect policy vacuums and strategic missteps at the national level. Housing shortages,...
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