OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, December 25 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A pack of factors - topped by the Palestinian Intifada and a suffocating economic crisis - has led to a historic dwindling of Jewish immigration to Israel in 2003, according to figures released by the Jewish Agency.

Total immigration rates have decreased by 31%, compared to the rates of 2002, according to Israeli sources concerned with immigration file, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP) Wednesday, December 25.

“Some 24,000 immigrants, 50% of whom came from the former Soviet Union, the principal source of Jewish immigrants since early 1990s, have arrived in Israel in 2003,” the spokesman of the Jewish Agency (the pseudo-governmental institution assigned with the immigration of Jewish Diaspora) Michael Yakelivic told AFP.

He pointed out that such figures are almost one fourth of the annual 100.000 immigrants Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon has forecast during the coming 10 years.

Yakelivic said that with the decline of Jewish immigration, 1948 Palestinians and those of occupied Jerusalem would form the majority in less than 10 years, according to demographic statistics.

Such a decline, according to the Jewish institution, is due to several reasons, including the depletion of population in the former Soviet Union.

On the other hand, the Agency pointed out that the Jewish immigration from Argentine to Israel has declined due to the improved economic situation in the south American country and the worsening economy in Israel.

Mass media experts in Israel attributed such continuous decline to the deteriorating security situation in Israel since the outbreak of the Intifada in September 2000 and the aggravating economic stagnation.

Israeli newspapers, in turn, pointed out to the annual immigration of 10-15 thousands Jews abroad since the outbreak of the Intifada.

It is believed that as many as 600.000 Israeli Jews have emigrated or become permanent citizens in North America, Australia, or Europe since the beginning of the Palestinian Intifada.

It is worth noting that 34.831 Jews have immigrated to Israel in 2002, compared to 44.000 in 2001 and 60.000 in 2000. 12.500 immigrants have arrived during 2003 from the Soviet Union compared to 18.500 in 2002.

3.000 immigrants arrived from Ethiopia during 2002, compared to nearly the same number in 2001. 2.500 immigrants have come from the U.S. in 2003, compared to 1.900 in 2002.

1.200 immigrants have arrived from Argentine in 2003, compared to 6.000 during 2002. 2.000 have come from France in the current year, which is almost the same number coming from this state during 2002.

It is noteworthy that the escalation of the Intifada in 2001 had its repercussions on the Israeli economy. The Central Statistics Bureau has pointed out that the Israeli economy witnessed 0.5% decline for the first time since 1953. In 2002, economic growth ratio amounted to 1%, while it was 0% during the first quarter of 2003.

Israel has retreated to be ranked 40 worldwide regarding the average individual national income. The works sector growth rate has declined by 2.2%, while NDP decreased by 3%. Foreign investments fell by 11% with the decline of the industrial production by 6%.