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The Partition of the British Mandate of Palestine: The History and Legacy of the United Nations Partition Plan and the Creation of the State of Israel
The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is technically 69 years old and counting but has its roots in over 2,000 years of history. With so much time and history, the Middle East peace process has become laden with unique, politically sensitive concepts like the right of return, contiguous borders, secure borders, demilitarized zones, and security requirements, with players like the Quartet, Palestinian Authority, Fatah, Hamas, the Arab League, Hezbollah (which has pledged to kill Jews wherever they find them in the world) and Israel. Over time, it has become exceedingly difficult for even sophisticated political pundits and followers to keep track of it all.
Nearly a century before the state of Israel was founded in 1948, Palestine was under the control of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, consisting mostly of Arabs. During the 1850s, Jews began settling in small villages across the lands that once comprised Judea and Samaria, which the Jews considered their ancient Biblical homeland. These efforts to buy property were driven by the motivation of some Jews to help reestablish the land as the Jewish homeland. These Jews became known as Zionists, in reference to Zion, which is often thought of as a reference to all of Israel but was in fact a reference to part of Jerusalem. The Zionists attempted to establish a Jewish National Fund that would assist Jews in buying land in Palestine for Jewish settlement.
In the middle of World War I, the British pledged their support to the Zionist cause and the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine through the Balfour Declaration of November 1917. At the time, the British realized the strategic importance of Palestine because it was near the Suez Canal, and they saw the Zionists as potentially helpful allies in the region following the war. British foreign secretary Arthur James Balfour sent a letter to Lord Rothschild on November 2, 1917, declaring the government’s “sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations,” and favoring “the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish People,” with an intent to assist the Jews in achieving it.
In 1947, the British delegated the issue of partitioning the British Mandate to the United Nations, and the U.N. General Assembly set up the Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP). UNSCOP eventually came up with what is now known as the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947. The Partition Plan carved up two strange looking states, the smaller one, 30% of Palestine, was Israel in which the Jewish population was a 55% majority, while Palestine had an over 90% Palestinian Arab majority. To this end 70% of Palestine was given to Transjordania, renamed Jordan. Jordan is therefore mostly Palestine by population and land mass. Meanwhile, the city of Jerusalem would be administered internationally, due to the sensitive religious concerns of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. In addition to several Christian holy spots, Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, and it is situated right next to the Western Wall, the Jews’ holiest remaining site.
On May 14, 1948, the British Mandate officially expired. That same day, the Jewish National Council issued the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel. About 10 minutes later, President Truman officially recognized the State of Israel, and the Soviet Union also quickly recognized Israel. However, the Palestinians and the Arab League did not recognize the new state, and the very next day, armies from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq invaded the former British Mandate to squelch Israel, while Saudi Arabia assisted the Arab armies. Jordan would also get involved in the war.
In early 1949, Israel began signing armistices with Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, which left Israel in control of nearly 75% of the lands that were to be partitioned into the two states under the 1947 plan.
Nearly a century before the state of Israel was founded in 1948, Palestine was under the control of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, consisting mostly of Arabs. During the 1850s, Jews began settling in small villages across the lands that once comprised Judea and Samaria, which the Jews considered their ancient Biblical homeland. These efforts to buy property were driven by the motivation of some Jews to help reestablish the land as the Jewish homeland. These Jews became known as Zionists, in reference to Zion, which is often thought of as a reference to all of Israel but was in fact a reference to part of Jerusalem. The Zionists attempted to establish a Jewish National Fund that would assist Jews in buying land in Palestine for Jewish settlement.
In the middle of World War I, the British pledged their support to the Zionist cause and the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine through the Balfour Declaration of November 1917. At the time, the British realized the strategic importance of Palestine because it was near the Suez Canal, and they saw the Zionists as potentially helpful allies in the region following the war. British foreign secretary Arthur James Balfour sent a letter to Lord Rothschild on November 2, 1917, declaring the government’s “sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations,” and favoring “the establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the Jewish People,” with an intent to assist the Jews in achieving it.
In 1947, the British delegated the issue of partitioning the British Mandate to the United Nations, and the U.N. General Assembly set up the Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP). UNSCOP eventually came up with what is now known as the U.N. Partition Plan of 1947. The Partition Plan carved up two strange looking states, the smaller one, 30% of Palestine, was Israel in which the Jewish population was a 55% majority, while Palestine had an over 90% Palestinian Arab majority. To this end 70% of Palestine was given to Transjordania, renamed Jordan. Jordan is therefore mostly Palestine by population and land mass. Meanwhile, the city of Jerusalem would be administered internationally, due to the sensitive religious concerns of Muslims, Christians, and Jews. In addition to several Christian holy spots, Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, and it is situated right next to the Western Wall, the Jews’ holiest remaining site.
On May 14, 1948, the British Mandate officially expired. That same day, the Jewish National Council issued the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel. About 10 minutes later, President Truman officially recognized the State of Israel, and the Soviet Union also quickly recognized Israel. However, the Palestinians and the Arab League did not recognize the new state, and the very next day, armies from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq invaded the former British Mandate to squelch Israel, while Saudi Arabia assisted the Arab armies. Jordan would also get involved in the war.
In early 1949, Israel began signing armistices with Egypt, Jordan, and Syria, which left Israel in control of nearly 75% of the lands that were to be partitioned into the two states under the 1947 plan.
44 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 2, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 15, 2018
Another lucid and succinct description of the history of chaos in Palestine and the role of super powers in the genesis of this chaos. The treachery under Sykes-Picot Agreement also comes out eloquently in the book.
February 8, 2021
The story of creating a Jewish state is a complicated one and I thought Charles Rivers did a fine job of explaining the ins-and-outs of the process. The British were certainly in the hot seat for promising both the Arabs and the Jews assistance in reaching their goals after WWI. It is interesting to note that the name 'Palestine' was used for the first time in modern history by the British. After reading this, it is no wonder that the British were so unpopular with both Arabs and Jews.
I did not understand that the Jewish National Fund (beginning after WWI), which spent funds to buy Arab land, was buying it from absentee Arab feudal landowners, but those sales affected the poor Arabs, who had lived on or had access to the land for generations. No wonder the Arabs (working the land) were so upset. Another problem was in Jerusalem, where the religious significance of many sites for both Muslims and Jews, made the whole area a serious hot spot.
This book was eye-opening in so many ways. I didn't know that West Germany paid some $70 billion to Holocaust survivors and others after WWII. According to the author, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was waged by Arab nations with territorial ambitions. An Arab victory would not have resulted in the formation of a Palestinian state. The tragedy of all this is the permanent refugee status of the Palestinians who escaped the conflicts. I learned a great deal from this explanation of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
I did not understand that the Jewish National Fund (beginning after WWI), which spent funds to buy Arab land, was buying it from absentee Arab feudal landowners, but those sales affected the poor Arabs, who had lived on or had access to the land for generations. No wonder the Arabs (working the land) were so upset. Another problem was in Jerusalem, where the religious significance of many sites for both Muslims and Jews, made the whole area a serious hot spot.
This book was eye-opening in so many ways. I didn't know that West Germany paid some $70 billion to Holocaust survivors and others after WWII. According to the author, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War was waged by Arab nations with territorial ambitions. An Arab victory would not have resulted in the formation of a Palestinian state. The tragedy of all this is the permanent refugee status of the Palestinians who escaped the conflicts. I learned a great deal from this explanation of the Arab-Israeli conflict.
April 13, 2021
Es muy corto y por tanto no es un libro al uso, pero es interesante leerlo porque explica someramente, evidentemente por su tamaño, la creación de Israel y del asentamiento de los judíos en Palestina.
Así como cómo se ha llegado a la situación actual.
Así como cómo se ha llegado a la situación actual.
March 27, 2024
A quick and concise read of the establishment of Israel as an integrated “partition” within the Palestine territory, loosely controlled by Britain, in the eras before and after WWI with subsequent establishment of Israel as a nation state, following WWII, with departure of the British in 1947. This booklet covered the historical context for claims of Jewish as well as Islamic possession of the lands within the mandate. The multiple conflicts that resulted from the establishment of Israel as a nation state are discussed in limited detail. The role for the PLO and terrorists groups like Hamas is also noted. This was a good introduction to the religious and historical forces at work in this very unsettled region.
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November 8, 2020Excellent book for anyone trying to understand the Israeli-Palestinian world.
January 22, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
If you want a quick overview of what you have already learnt, this is the book for you.
If you want a quick overview of what you have already learnt, this is the book for you.
November 5, 2018
On of the better books from the Charles river Editors but these are more of a review than new information unless you are not at all familiar with the recent history of the area.
January 11, 2019
Good overview
Great review of the early modern political history of Jerusalem and putting it into context with the modern Middle East conflict.
Great review of the early modern political history of Jerusalem and putting it into context with the modern Middle East conflict.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews