The first is that Israel is getting squeezed in demographically by the rapid growth of three populations: The haredi population, the religious-nationalists/settlers, and the Israeli Arabs, all of whom have much higher birth rates than the secular and traditional Israelis who simultaneously favor an eventual peace deal, are loyal to the state, and who serve in the army. What happens when these Israelis find themselves in the minority in the country? How does Israel continue to exist as a modern, industrial, democratic, first-world country?

The second issue is that Israel does not officially regard the overwhelming majority of American Jews as being, in fact, Jews. Nontraditional, Conservative, Reform, and even some Orthodox Jews are “suspect” in the eyes of Israel’s official rabbinate, and many would get a big fat “non-Jew” stamped on their papers if they ever made aliyah. Why should these 80% of American Jews feel loyalty to a state that does not recognize them as members of the tribe? Sure, they could get in under the Law of Return if they had to, but they would have fewer religious freedoms in Israel than in America, including no right to marry or be buried in Jewish cemeteries. But as the haredi population in Israel grows, their control of the rabbinate will only become more entrenched, further alienating an American Jewish population that sends Israel abundant financial support and that lobbies Washington extensively on their behalf. Israel spites these American Jews at its peril.

Anyone have any idea what Israel is doing to deal with these unsustainable and ever-growing problems?

If Israel meets its downfall, it won’t be due to external threats. That’s the history of the Jewish people--it’s always internal strife, domestic disunity, and sinat hinam that brings us down.