Israel's Prime Minister Olmert and some of his cabinet ministers, most notably Avigdor Lieberman, have suggested a willingness to give up so-called "Arab neighborhoods" in Jerusalem. They argue this is a way of ridding Israel of some Arabs.
This populist argument flys in the face of reality.
On average in Jerusalem 300 Arabs a year seek Israeli citizenship. In the four months since talk of dividing Jerusalem has increased that number has exploded to over 3,000.
These numbers indicate that creating a Palestinian capital out of Arab neighborhoods will result in a flood of Arabs seeking Israeli citizenship and choosing to live in Jewish neighborhoods.
Why should they give up the security and the economic benefits of living in Israel?
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