Alarm over emigration levels is growing among Israel’s political leadership as the country’s Jews seek to escape the violence of the Palestinian uprising and deepening recession.

The government wants to bring another million Jews to Israel by 2010. Yet figures released by the ministry responsible for helping new immigrants show that an estimated 760,000 Israelis are living abroad, up from 550,000 in 2000.

The Washington Times reports on Israel’s growing emigration and shrinking immigration levels.