BICOM

As Israel prepares to celebrate the two-day Jewish New Year, which begins this evening, it was announced that the country’s population exceeds eight million people for the first time.

Releasing its annual report, the Central Bureau of Statistics estimated that Israel’s population now stands at 8.081 million, having grown by 142,000 during the past year, representing a growth rate of 1.8 per cent. According to the statistics, Israel’s population is comprised of about 6.066 million Jewish people – 75.1 per cent of the total population, 1.67 million Arab people (Muslim, Christian, Druze and Bedouin) – 20.7 per cent of the total population with a remaining 345,000 citizens who are non-Arab Christian, other religion or of no religion – 4.2 per cent of the population. Around 19,000 people immigrated to Israel during the past year and according to the Population, Immigration and Border Authority there were more than five million foreign visitors to Israel.

On Thursday and Friday, schools, offices and business will be closed in Israel to mark the Jewish New Year, which is the first in a series of Jewish and national holidays which will take place during the coming month. Ahead of the holiday season, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “I wish the entire Jewish People a good and blessed year. We will continue to strengthen our security. We will continue to develop the State of Israel. We will see to it that all Israeli citizens will have a good and safe year.”

Meanwhile, Israel’s President Shimon Peres sent a message to Jewish communities across the world, saying, “In these turbulent times, Israel remains an island of stability in a sea of uncertainty” in the Middle East, but that “At this time of hope for the future, we pray…to enjoy the fruits of peace with hope in our hearts for a brighter future for us all.”