以色列国土狭小,目前实际控制约2.8万平方公里,人口总数为500万(其中犹太人占83％)。犹太民族视为“圣地”的故土,一半以上是不毛之地,又无任何重要的自然资源。由于同所有的阿拉伯邻国为敌,它不得不耗资亿万维持庞大的国防,而邻国的经济抵制又使它的发展雪上加霜。1948年以色列建国之际,超过其原居民数倍的犹太移民潮水般地涌入,衣食住行,就业福利,使其政府疲于应付。难怪那时有的观察家断定,以色列的总崩溃指日可待。 Israel is a small country with an actual control of about 28,000 square kilometers and a total population of 5 million (of which Jews make up 83%). More than half of the Jewish people think of the homeland of the Holy Land as being barren and without any important natural resources. Because of its opposition to all its Arab neighbors, it has to spend billions to maintain its huge national defense. The economic boycott of neighboring countries in turn has made its development even worse. As the founding of Israel in 1948, more Jewish immigrants surpassed their native inhabitants by the floodwaters, necessities, employment benefits and the government’s exhaustion. No wonder some observers at the time concluded that the general collapse of Israel was just around the corner.