UNSCOP United Nations Special Committee on Palestine May 1947 Britain ends the mandate granted it after World War One and turns the issue of Palestine over to the UN

The investigation 11 member team tours Palestine Collected evidence from both sides Report due in September of 1947 At this same time: – Exodus: Boat carrying Jewish Holocaust survivors looking not allowed to dock, sent back to Europe – Makes British look horrible!

The report Report unanimously called for end of British Mandate Jerusalem to be governed by international body Arabs and Jews were to cooperate economically and share a currency Not fully clear on division of land

Arab Reaction The Arabs decided not to cooperate with the commission Jews fully cooperated

Jamal Husseini (Arab High Cmmt spokesman) says: – “the partition line would be nothing but a line of fire and blood”, “Arabs would “fight for every inch of their country” Arabs very suspicious of each other (ongoing problem) and didn’t cooperate

Jewish Reaction Jews accepted the report Arabs rejected- Jewish land was bigger than Arab land and they only had 33% of the population

The British mess it up again… Rather than wait for the Nov. vote in the UN, Britain withdraws from Palestine in Oct 1947 Needed 2/3 vote in UN to accept the resolution Nobody thought it would pass 10 Oct 1947 US announces support of resolution, Soviets announce support, Britain announces it will abstain

USA Ally At the last minute, US lobbies its allies to support resolution Nov. 29, 1947 Partition resolution passes Arabs riot Big Arab split now- they did not deliver Palestine, they become less united

Jews Very organized Trained leaders Experienced group of soldiers “Plan D” Deir Yassin massacre encouraged refugees (was this to provoke an Arab attack?)

14 May 1948 Declaration of Independence State of Israel created President Chaim Weizmann Prime Minister David Ben Gurion 11 minutes later US recognizes Israel ArabLeague attacks 15 May

Arab League Attack Planned ahead of time Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Lebanon declare war on Israel 40 million Arabs vs. 750,000 Jews Arabs not prepared for armed conflict, didn’t unite, each had their own agenda Israel with experienced soldiers. Former militia groups unite under the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) Fighting continues until end of 1948

Palestinian Diaspora Mass exodus of Arabs during the fighting (estimates of about 75% of population) Israel occupies about 80% of Palestinian land Arab League is split by crushing defeat United Nations creates refugee camps for displaced Palestinians

Lands Israel Galilee Nazareth Some of Egypt to the south Crossed into southern Lebanon Ramallah Beersheba Jordan West Bank East Jerusalem Egypt takes Gaza strip **Note, these are the disputed areas and they are taken by Arab countries not given to the “Palestinians”

Arabs demanded that the land be retuned to the borders before the attack. Israel rejects this Israel signs separate armistice agreements with each Arab League nation