But They Can't Count

Palestinians began their first census in a decade yesterday, with officials visiting thousands of homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in the hope of boosting their bid for an independent state. “I’m sure this census will help our negotiations,” said Saeb Erekat, a senior aide to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President...

...Israel has long been concerned that Palestinians could eventually outnumber Jews. Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, has cited such demographic concerns in advocating West Bank withdrawals under a future peace deal. Israel’s Jews have a lower birthrate than Israeli Arabs and Palestinians.