the UN partition of palestine Flashcards
What was the United Nations?
created during WW2 to replace League of Nations - 51 member nations dominated by Western world.
What was the first issue that confronted the UN?
the future of Palestine
What were the 2 main proposals to resolve conflict?
- Jews favour of division into 2 separate state, one Jewish and one Arab.
- Arabs favour of unified state with proportional representative for Muslims, Christians and Jews.
What was established to consider problem?
April 1946, United Nationals Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP)
majority of the members recommended 3 way division.
- jewish
- arab
- UN zone comprising of Jerusalem and surrounding districts.
How many majority did the UN security council needed to approve the ‘partition plan’ decision?
2/3 agree
Why did the Soviet Union and US support partition?
Soviet Union- wanted rid itself of Jews and have influence in Middle East
US- Jewish state in Palestine had 2 advantages: 1
1. policy gained support of influential Jews in US
2. at same time, had restrictive policies on Jewish immig and preferred refugees to migrate to Palestine.
Who voted against the partitioning?
smaller states and Islamic states voted against it and majority vote was only achieved by pressure by Jewish supporters on other smaller states.
What was arabs response to partitioning plan?
took case to INternational Court of Justice, arguing that country could not be divided against wishes of majority of population (2/3 population arabs in 1948) but proposal rejected.
What was the outcome of the final decision to partition?
Although UN have policy of partition, no major power willing to commit troops to enforce it, as having just fought WW2.
Issue left to Arabs and Jews to fight amongst themselves.
What did the arabs see in the partition?
betrayal
As deadline of British redrawal drew closer, Arabs inside and outside Palestine, began to mobilise.
What happened in months following decision to partition Palestine?
hundred of jews and arabs killed in clashes throughout Palestine which escalated in 1948 into a full scale civil war, the Israeli War of Independence.
What happened on last day of British occupation?
14 May 1948, Jewish leader, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed state of Israel and became its first PM.
Jewish ppl made nation for themselves. However, Process of this created conflict which continue.
