THE PARTITION OF PALESTINE

1945-1949

BACKGROUND: Your role play was part of what really

happened in 1947UNSCOP an 11 member team was there to

conduct a survey and make proposalsThis led to a vote in the UN and 33 to 13

with 10 abstentions, the vote was in favour of a partition in Palestine to create two areas : for the Jewish population and the Palestinians

1942-1945 Biltmore Programme

Signals the start of the US involvement in the Middle EAst

American Zionists called for a ‘commonwealth’ in ALL of Palestine

In 1945 with the end of the war an all out media and propaganda offensive to highlight the plight of the Jews The Holocaust a major emotive issue

President Truman calls for the immigration of 100,000 Jewish refugees into Palestine.

MIDDLE EAST: BRITISH PERSPECTIVE

Bevin suggest Anglo-American Committee of Enquiry which met in Washington, Nov 1945

Report: demand for 100,000 certificates of entry into Palestine

Palestine to be placed under UN trusteeship not endorsed by US or UK!

Bevin rejects certificates idea ( see page 103)

Morrison Grady Plan July 1946 also callled for UN trusteeship….rejected

1945: IN PALESTINE British authorities refuse Jewish refugees into

Palestine ‘Illegal’ immigrants stopped and sent back Rising anger against British policies Haganah continue illegal immigration

Arab sentiment: Holocaust issues belong to Europe and Europe needs to find a solution

The Yom Kippur declaration by Truman provides for fresh tensions in the Middle East

Formation of the Arab League

1946: TENSIONS CONTINUEBy 1946 certain issues are clear British policy in the Middle East is not

working US and GB want a hold in the Middle East

but do not want a shooting war US and GB felt that if hostilities broke out

on the ground, the Jewish population would be massacred by the Arabs

Arab demands for a unitary state in which they would be the permanent majority

Jewish Agency on the other hand demand partition of Palestine

Truman’s day of Atonement declaration

Palestine

GB no longer a major player

Holocaust : a major

factor

US involve-ment in

the Middle EastSplit

among the Jews

Ben Gurion Vs ChaimWeizmann

Arab leadershi

p in disarray

Emerging Cold War

ARAB PERSPECTIVE Newly formed League of Arab States

The rights of the Arabs cannot be touched and the injustice of the Holocaust should not make injustice in Palestine

The Alexandra Protocol: a warning and a support for Palestinian claims but nothing further. Sympathizes with Holocaust but does not want Palestine to be part of the solution

ZIONIST PERSPECTIVE Split in leadership Emergence of David Ben Gurion

Wanted leadership of the US to resolve the situation Felt the time for discussion over and a call for action Received funding from the US to buy weapons

By this time there were 3 groups speaking for the cause of the Jews in Palestine Ben Gurion and Ma’pai or workers Party Irgun set up 1930 by Vladimir Jabotinsky and its

offshoot LEHI( set up 1940 by Isaac Stern): Violent right wing organizations whose aim was to create a Jewish state in all of Palestine

IN PALESTINE Zionists target the British Murder of British soldiers by Irgun Attack on the King David Hotel 22/07/1946

British Military HQRS Mayor of New York raised 2m for Jews to purchase weapons:

GB objects to this In 1947 two British soldiers hanged as reprisal for the

execution of the three Irgun, British responded with characteristic heavy-handedness

Exodus Incident led to widespread condemnation of British Policy and support for Jewish demands for Palestine as homeland

By 1947 Britain tired. 100,000 troops and Police tied up in Palestine

Britain decided to let the UN deal with the matter

UNSCOP United Nations Special Committee on

Palestine 11 members Task: to investigate and to make

recommendations on how to resolve the problem

UNSCOP : received full co-operation from the Zionists and boycotted except at the end by the Arabs

Exodus incident occurs BY August 1947 : report was ready

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE UNSCOP Division of Palestine into 2 areas

57% to Jews ( 33%)Lands with a greater Jewish population to be awarded t the Jews and like wise for the ArabsThis resulted in a criss-cross arrangements with ‘kissing points’Jerusalem to be an international zone governed by and international force

MEETING IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON 29TH NOVEMBER TO VOTE ON THE

Vote to partition Palestine :Resolution 181 passes with 33 to 13 votes with 10 abstentions

The Arab Higher Committee representing the Palestinian Arabs rejected the UN Partition Plan

Civil War in Palestine begins on the 30th of November as a protest towards the proposed Partition

CIVIL WAR IN PALESTINE 3 day strike called by Arab Higher

Committee British announcement: Mandate in

Palestine to end on the 15th of May 1948 instead of a further 2 years

Jewish forces acted to defend civilians and settlements and then acted to evict Muslim populations within their designated areas

Arabs supported by Syrian Egyptian and Iraqi forces

In March Plan Dalet formulated

PLAN D OR PLAN DALET Read textbook Source A Discuss Deir Yassin Massacre

Part of the attempt to gain control of Jerusalem

Did it harden attitudes towards the Palestinian Arabs

Was it the start of the Al Naqba ( the disaster)

THE STATE OF ISRAEL Declared on the 14th of May, 1948 Read text page 110: what is Eretz

Israel?

The state of Israel recognized 11 minutes later by the US

What was the US role in this?

1ST ARAB ISRAELI WAR BEGINS?

15th May the armies of Egypt Syria Transjordan Lebanon and Iraq invade the newly formed state of Israel

CAUSES?

Immediate •State of Israel•Partition of Palestine

Short Term •?

•?

Long Term •?•?

CAUSES:

Political

Economic

Other

Social

IST ARAB ISRAELI WAR 3 phases: civil war Fighting 15th May to 10th June 1948 UN sponsored Cease fire 10th June to 9th July Fighting commences with Egypt breaking

ther truce 9th -18th July 1948 2nd truce: Count Bernadotte asked to

negotiate. Bernadotte Plan rejected Bernadotte murdered by the Stern gang Israel dissolves Stern gang Stern gang members join newly formed Israel

Defence force( IDF)

FINAL PHASE 15th October to 7th January 1949. this

time Israel broke the ceasefire to defeat Egyptians in the south

Israel under pressure from the US to withdraw from Egyptian territory

Israel gained control of the Negev desert when ceasefire was announced.

RESULTS OF THE 1ST ARAB ISRAELI WAR Israel- exhausted but well organised

Loss of 6000 amounted to 1% of population

Israel now controlled 79% of Palestine700, 000 Palestinian became refugees Israel survived its first test It showed to Israel the advantages of action

over negotiation and became the cornerstone of all future policy

The Jewish people had proved that they would no longer be the underdog

Israel signed armistice agreement with Arab states