Earlier this week I had lunch with a good friend, a lady with whom I’d pointedly decided – several years ago – to avoid any talk of politics. Everything about her seemed to indicate that she’d be on the left side of things, and because I enjoyed her company and friendship for so many other reasons, it seemed wise to just avoid political talk, Israeli or American.

But this week, it happened. I’m not sure how it started, but we finally got into politics. Just as I expected, she’d started life as a liberal. “I always leaned toward the left,” she said. “But in the last several years, I’ve changed. Gradually I started seeing how wrong I was. I’d still like to be a liberal, you understand, but I can’t. That’s not where my heart is now.”

As I walked home, I had to laugh. She’d also been a vegetarian at one point in her life, but our last two lunches have included serious hunks of red meat. If she doesn’t watch out, pretty soon she’ll be grunting and dragging her knuckles on the ground just like the rest of us conservative Neanderthals.

In her movement away from the left, she’s hardly alone. The shift in demographics in the US is particularly astonishing – and certainly for good reasons. With the frightening Socialistic policy shifts the Community Organizer seems intent on imposing, there’s good reason for people to become much more adamant about their preference for the conservative platform of ‘less government, more individual responsibility and a better world.’

What’s interesting is that in Israel, the same paradigm shift is taking place – with far less outside impetus. Yes, our hostile neighbors still have us under constant attack, but that hasn’t changed in recent years. If anything, the terrorist threat is down. Not because they aren’t trying, but because the IDF has become so skilled at ferreting out the terrorists before they launch themselves into the carnal delight of 72 virgins. Because of the skill of the IDF, things have actually become calmer.

But still, there’s a strong shift to the right – and nothing proves it so much as a new poll by Haaretz.

For you outside of Israel, the Hebrew daily newspaper Haaretz is now and always has been the official organ of the Israeli left. Sometimes known as “the only Hebrew-language Arab newspaper in the Middle East”, Haaretz has long dominated the local newspaper scene, spreading leftist ideas on virtually every topic they address.

But today, Haaretz is shaking in its cumulative boots over a poll they themselves commissioned on Groundhog Day, February 2.

True to form, Haaretz tried to load the dice and make it come out differently. But even though they skewed the questions put to 491 Israelis, they still didn’t get the results they expected. The poll showed a strong shift to the right among Israelis – and yes, Israeli Arabs were included in the poll sample.

One of the questions touched on the timely topic of “the settlements”, otherwise known as that part of Israel called Judea and Samaria. The clumsy question Haaretz posed was, "May our continued presence in the territories lead to a bi-national state?"

(A bi-national state – i.e., “a state of all of its citizens”, including the roughly 50% Arabs who would be present, is code language for a state devoid of all Jewish identity.)

What was the result? Yes - 28%, No - 53%.

Wow. That wasn’t the answer they expected. Or wanted.

In fact, it was so bad Haaretz didn’t report the poll results at all in the English version of the newspaper. In the Hebrew version, they tried to downplay it, showing the poll results only in tables, with no reference whatever in the text.

Bottom line: Israelis don’t buy into the idea of “demographic threat” in the slightest. As the Manhigut Yehudit analysis noted, in spite of the heavy indoctrination Haaretz and the long line of other leftist proponents have tried to instill – that Jewish Israel is losing ground, population-wise, to a growing Arab presence – Israelis simply don’t believe it.

For years, the left has advocated pulling out, getting rid of, Judea and Samaria because, they say, if Israel were to officially annex that area, the number of Arabs living there would overwhelm the Jewish population of Israel. That’s not true – those demographic numbers have been disproven again and again -- but still the left tries to scare Israelis: ‘Get out of Judea and Samaria! If you don’t, Arabs will become the majority population!”

Now we know: Israelis aren’t buying it.

Is there really no demographic threat? Really and truly, there isn’t. The Jewish population in Israel is NOT losing ground to the Arab population, much as the left would like us to believe it. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. The Jewish population is growing as compared to Arabs. Not diminishing.

For a full analysis of the fake “demographic threat” -- and how the numbers were manipulated by double counting and other tricks of the trade -- see several accounts, including that of Ambassador Yoram Ettinger, at http://www.globalpolitician.com/24590-israel

Why does the left want Israelis to believe in the “demographic threat”? Because that’s the only way they can get the voting public to submit to the “two state solution” – better known as the ONE state solution, where an Arab state would replace Israel.

And now, Haaretz – the voice of the left – has found, to their dismay, their Big Lie isn’t working. Israelis – including Israeli Arabs – don’t believe.

Interesting, isn’t it, how the general public – in much of the world – is catching on to the numbers men. The fake “global warming” has been exposed for what it is, people have taken to laughing at the Community Organizers “jobs saved” statistics, and Israelis are refusing to accept the notion that we have to jettison Judea and Samaria to remain a Jewish state.

It’s about time.