On November 29, 1947, the historic UN resolution “on the division of Palestine” was adopted – it became the legal basis for the creation of the State of Israel

On this day, 77 years ago, November 29, 1947, The UN General Assembly adopted Resolution No. 181 (II), better known as the “Palestine Partition Plan”.

This document provided the creation of two independent states – Jewish and Arab – on the territory of Mandatory Palestine, west of the Jordan River.

The resolution became a key moment on the path to the creation of the State of Israel, causing a storm of emotions and hopes among Jews around the world. However, as we know, the Arab world met this plan with sharp rejection, which was the beginning of a long and bloody confrontation.

Interestingly, one of the key coordinators of Israel's diplomatic campaign was Moshe Sharett (Moses Chertok), native of Ukrainian Kherson. It was he, as the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, who managed to unite the efforts of Jewish organizations around the world to obtain support from key countries.

Also interesting to read – How Ukrainian Vasil Tarasenko helped the State of Israel appear on the world map

How exactly did the UN plan divide up Palestine in 1947?

The UN plan for the partition of Palestine, adopted by the General Assembly on November 29, 1947, provided for the creation of two independent states – Jewish and Arab – on the territory of Mandatory Palestine. The main purpose of the document was to peacefully resolve the protracted conflict between the Jewish and Arab populations. Below we examine in detail exactly how the territories should have been divided.

1. Jewish State (≈56% of territory)

The Jewish state was allocated a significant part of the land, including:

• The northern region is the Eastern Galilee with fertile lands.
• The Mediterranean coast – from Haifa to Tel Aviv.
• The Negev is a desert region that made up a significant portion of the area but was virtually uninhabited.

About 538 thousand Jews and 397 thousand Arabs lived on the territory of the Jewish state. Despite the formal allocation of 56% of the territory, much of the land (particularly the Negev) was of little use for agriculture and habitation, making the real advantage less obvious.

2. Arab state (≈43% of territory)

The following were transferred to the Arab state:

• The central part is Samaria and Judea, mountainous regions with a predominant Arab population.
• Southern coastal strip – Gaza and surrounding lands.
• The northwestern regions are most of the Western Galilee.

About 804 thousand Arabs and only 10 thousand Jews lived in this territory.

3. Jerusalem and Bethlehem (≈0.6% of territory)

Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which have great religious significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims, were to receive the status corpus separatum – an international zone under UN control.

• About 105.5 thousand Arabs and 99.5 thousand Jews lived in this territory.
• It was assumed that the international regime would ensure the peaceful coexistence of all religious communities and free access to holy places.

Section map

The plan provided for the division of the territory taking into account the current population concentration. However, the boundary lines were jagged to accommodate historical, geographic and demographic features.

Implementation and consequences

Although the UN plan was officially adopted, its implementation proved impossible.

• Jews: They accepted the plan, despite the difficulties, as a historic chance to create their own state.
• Arabs: They decisively rejected the resolution, considering it unfair.

The Arab states declared that the creation of a Jewish state on their territory was impossible and began an armed confrontation. This led to the Arab-Israeli War of 1947–1949, during which Israel expanded its controlled areas beyond the UN's proposed plan.

The 1947 Palestine partition plan was a historical milestone. Although it was not fully implemented, it was this resolution that became the legal basis for the creation of the State of Israel.

Voices for and against: how the countries of the world were divided

At the General Assembly, the voting results looked like this:

• For: Australia, Byelorussian SSR, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Haiti, Guatemala, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Canada, Costa Rica, Liberia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, USA, USSR, Ukrainian SSR, Uruguay, Philippines, France, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Ecuador, South Africa.
• Against: Afghanistan, Greece, Egypt, Yemen, India, Iraq, Iran, Cuba, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey.
• Abstained: Argentina, Great Britain, Honduras, China, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Chile, Ethiopia, Yugoslavia.

Interesting fact: a resolution required a two-thirds yes vote to pass. This became possible thanks to the combined efforts of countries with different political views, including the USA and the USSR.

Behind-the-scenes voting stories

The adoption of the resolution was accompanied by a large-scale diplomatic campaign, and every vote was literally “extracted.” Mordechai Naor, a researcher of the events of that time, gives amazing examples:

• Sweden: members of the UN commission suspected that the Jews were demonstrating “Potemkin villages.” In one of the kibbutzim, a commission even checked the orange trees, thinking that they were artificial. This mistrust quickly dissipated and Sweden voted in favor.
• Philippines: Israeli diplomacy reminded the country's representative that his education in the United States was financed by a Jewish foundation. This convinced him to support the plan.
• Liberia: The owner of a large rubber factory from the United States, who sympathized with the Jewish people, managed to convince his compatriot in Liberia to vote for the resolution.

These stories show how skillfully Israel's diplomatic work was orchestrated.

History of diplomatic relations between Ukraine, Israel and Palestine

Ukraine has always played a significant role in relations with Israel. Back in 1947, the Ukrainian SSR, being part of the USSR, supported the plan for the division of Palestine. This decision was symbolic, because many leaders of the Israeli movement, including David Ben-Gurion and Moshe Sharett, came from Ukraine.

After gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine established diplomatic relations with Israel. Today, these ties are strengthening in the cultural, scientific and economic spheres.

At the same time, Ukraine maintains contacts with the Palestinian Authority. Kyiv consistently advocates a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Ukrainian diplomacy strives to maintain neutrality so as not to damage its relations with either Israel or Arab countries.

Conclusion

November 29 is one of the most important dates in the history of Israel. This day reminds us of the diplomatic struggle that preceded the creation of the Jewish state.

Like every year, NAnews emphasize: on this day it is important to remember not only the heroism of the founders of Israel, but also those who supported the right of Jews to their land in the international arena.

This history lesson is still relevant today. It shows that perseverance, unity and faith can change the fate of an entire people.

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