According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the growth rate of the Muslim community is on the decline, from 3.8% in 2000 to 2.4% in 2014. The downward trend is continuing in 2015. The Muslim community in Israel numbered 1.454 million at the end of 2014, an increase of 33,500 thousand residents as compared to 2013. However, the rate of growth of this community is a downward trend.

The largest Muslim population is found in Jerusalem, with 303,000, which constitutes 20.9% of the entire Israeli Muslim population and 35.7% of the residents of the capital. The second largest concentration of Muslims is in Rahat, which has 60,000 Muslims.

In 2014 the average Muslim birthrate stood at 3.4 children per mother, a drop from 4.7 in 2000. The report adds that 37% of Muslim homes have are made up of six or more persons as opposed to only 9% of the Jewish population.

63.5% of Muslims age 15 and older are working, which includes 44.3% among men and 24.9% among women. 26% of the men are employed in construction and 37% in education. In 2014, the number of Muslim students earning a matriculation high school diploma was 58% as compared to 62% in the Jewish sector.

The average monthly expenses in a Muslim household is 12,231 as compared to 15,081 in the Jewish sector. The average monthly expenditure for food is 3,024 in the Muslim community as compared to 2,363 among Jews.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)