Israel’s Population Nears 10.1 Million as Leaders Honor the Fallen and Vow to Bring Hostages Home
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – As Israel prepares to celebrate its 77th Independence Day, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported Tuesday that the nation’s population has reached nearly 10.1 million — a twelvefold increase since its founding in 1948.
The country saw a population growth of approximately 135,000 over the past year, a 1.4% rise. Of the total, 7.7 million people (77.6%) are registered as Jewish or “other,” a category that now includes non-Arab Christians and individuals with Jewish ancestry or Israeli spouses. Meanwhile, 2.1 million (20.9%) are Arab Muslims, Christians, or Druze. An additional 250,000 residents (2.5%) are foreign workers, undocumented migrants, or international students.
Israel also recorded 174,000 births, 28,000 new immigrants, and 50,000 deaths in the past year. The population remains relatively young, with 27% under age 18 and just 13% aged 65 or older. Though the world population grew by 0.9% in 2023, Israel’s growth rate was slightly lower than the previous year’s 1.9%, largely due to a 24% decline in immigration. The CBS also noted that 56,000 Israeli citizens currently reside abroad but did not specify the change from previous years.
The CBS report coincided with the start of national Memorial Day commemorations on Tuesday evening, marked by a minute-long siren and a central ceremony at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. President Isaac Herzog, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir were among the attendees.
“Every year, the sound of this siren – here, beside the Wall of Tears, and throughout the land – shakes and stirs the heart,” Herzog said. “It is the sound of heroism and resilience. Our sound, the sound of us all – all shades of our nation.”
He added, “Perhaps more than ever, the sound of this memorial siren is also a true alarm, commanding us: to unite… not to destroy our home.”
Turning to the hostages held by Hamas, Herzog declared, “A whole nation misses you, worries for you, cries out your cry… the wound will not heal until you return. Until you come back to us. I swear not to rest and not to be silent… until all of you return – every single one of you.”
Lt. Gen. Zamir echoed Herzog’s message of unity and resolve, praising the IDF’s young soldiers: “A wonderful generation of fearless fighters has risen. We need everyone. It is an operational necessity and… a national need for equality and a shared destiny.”
He emphasized Israel’s duty to its captives: “Your voices are heard… our foremost moral and national obligation is to bring the hostages home. We will not rest and we will not be silent.”
Zamir also issued a direct warning to Hamas: “Our enemies misjudged our response. So too does Hamas misjudge our determination… The two missions are intertwined – to return the captives and to defeat them. We will intensify our actions until both are fulfilled.”
Concluding his address at the Western Wall, Zamir said: “As the commander of the Israel Defense Forces… I swear… to defend the State of Israel and to guarantee our right to live here forever – in a safe and flourishing country.”
Israel’s Independence Day celebrations begin Wednesday night, immediately following the nation’s day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terror.
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