Israel’s immigration experience - 14 May 08
President Bush’s visit to Israel will be watched by Palestinians as they commemorate the Naqba - or catastrophe - on Wednesday. It refers to the end of the British mandate on this day in 1948, which led to the creation of Israel. Since then, Palestinians have become the world’s largest refugee group - the right to return to their ancestral land remains a key sticking point to any peace deal. But despite that the Arab population in the country and the occupied territories is growing. David Chater looks at Israel’s shifting demographics.