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The impact of the United Nations partition plan on Palestine and Israel
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Introduction
The Palestine-Israeli war that occurred in 1947 was one of the most significant battles in history, which continues to date. Palestine was involved in a fierce war for independence and sovereignty as Britain relinquished its mandate and tasked the United Nations with the duty of resolving the war. The United Nations devised a plan to divide the land into two parts consisting of a Palestinian and a Jewish state. However, what seemed like a lasting solution turned out to be
a course of conflict as the Palestinians were allocated a smaller portion of land as compared to the Jews, which led to a lifelong rivalry that significantly shaped the future of the region (Smith, 2004). The war was not limited to land, as various religious, political, and historical factors served as influences. This paper will examine the course of the war, significant events, and the long-lasting effects of the war on both parties, highlighting the key moments in history that keep on resonating with the region to this day.
The repercussions of the United Nations plan
The United Nations partition plan was meant to provide a solution that would end the Palestine-Israeli war. However, the terms were unfair to the Palestinians, considering they were the native occupants of the land. In contrast, the Zionist movement thought it a diplomatic victory as it offered international legitimacy for establishing a Jewish state. The Jews were offered 55% of the land, yet Jewish residents owned approximately 7% of the land. This led to disparate reactions among the Palestinians and Jews. The main argument presented by this scenario is that while the partition plan was meant to stop the erosion of war, it failed to address the concerns and grievances of the Palestinian Arab population; how the proposed borders were drawn divided the communities and failed to consider the demographic realities of the area. The lack of equity only catalyzed tension and future conflict (
1948: Creation & Catastrophe (Full
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Documentary)
, 2023). The reaction of the two communities serves as evidence to support this argument whereby the Jewish Agency welcomed this plan even though they had reservations, while the Arab Higher Committee, which was in charge of the Arab population, rejected this plan, terming it unjust as it threatened their rights to the land. In addition, the Arabs felt that it ignored their historical presence in the territory and were primarily concerned about the effect of the plan on Palestinian refugees who were displaced during the war. The widespread protests and
violence that erupted among the Arabs after the announcement of the plan further shed light on the grievances that came with the division of Palestine. The anger and fear showcased by the Arabs underline the inequities and defects of the plan in addressing their concerns.
However, there is a section of individuals who argue that the Palestinian's rejection of the proposed plan was a grave mistake as it could have resulted in the establishment of a Palestinian state parallel to Israel. Nonetheless, with the historical context, the fears and grievances of the Palestinians were legitimate. Their rejection of the plan can be taken as a response to their concerns about equality and justice (Morris, n.d.). There was also confusion within the envisaged
Jewish state as they had reservations about their liberties and position in a state that was primarily Jewish; the minority of Palestinians dwelling amid the Jewish state was particularly terrified of the Partition as the Jews were determined to expel them. They worried about abandoning their homes and lands, bias, and alienation. Demographics simply are unable to clarify the acts of violence that sprang out within the Jewish state upon the declaration of Partition. For instance, the Jews, as they had a more significant military capacity, started attacking the Arabs, who were outnumbered. They were faced with either death or displacement, which forced them to relocate to save their lives. The core issues were founded in previous disputes, challenging national identities, and the exile and expropriation endured by both the
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Jewish and Palestinian people, even if demographic causes significantly altered the conditions inside the state. The repercussions of the Partition still drive the dispute between Israel and Palestine.
Even with the partition, the Jews still were not satisfied as they were determined to occupy Palestine fully. The Zionist movement was determined to conquer Palestine and resettle the Jews. They came up with a plan known as Plan Dalet, which entailed taking over the entire region and emptying the population of the villages and cities of any Arabs. Moreover, they would
not allow them to return to their land to exalt dominance. The massacre of Dayr Yasin showcases
the brutality of the Jews towards the Arabs as the Hayanah, a Zionist militia group, murdered and
maimed a large number of Arabs. They tried to cover up their tracks when their actions came to light. An attack was carried out in Haifa, which was characterized by shootings and bombings of buildings whereby many Arabs lost their lives, especially since they could not fight back. According to the Hayanah militia, they were conducting a cleansing, which meant that they were
riding the territory of all Arabs (Pappe, 2006). Crude methods were used to instill fear in Arabs and force them to relocate, which led to those who survived fleeing by sea. Other cities that were
greatly affected were Pamla and Lydda, whereby Arab battalions were massacred and consequently conquered. After this, the Prime Minister went ahead and gave orders that the remaining Arabs should be driven out. This led to the death of many children on the road as they could not cope with the walk. More than five million Arabs were forced to become refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. This shows that no matter what measures were designed to maintain peace, the Jews would never be contented until they were the sole occupants of Palestine since, even after being allocated 55% of the land, they continued fighting the Arabs.
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The partition, whose purpose was to end conflict and ensure that the two communities lived in harmony, only proved to the Jews that they had the upper hand over the Arabs, mainly since they were allocated a more significant portion of land, yet they were immigrants. According to Shlaim (2014), one argument that stands out is that the extremist views perpetuated
by the Zionists saw war and elimination as the only solution. However, the two communities tried to arrive at a truce, which only lasted for three months before the war erupted orchestrated by the Jews. All exists to the villages were surrounded, leaving only one road for the Jews to go, and their villages were burnt, which was done to ensure that they would not return. The Jews did this as they were afraid that the Arab population would go and outnumber them. This brought suspicion that the plan for ethnic cleansing was designed even before the proposition of the partition plan, and the Jews did not have any intention of living with Arabs despite them being the original occupants of the land.
Conclusion
The Israel-Palestine War of 1948 has dramatically affected the course of history. The partition plan, in its efforts to resolve conflict, led to a war that displaced thousands of Palestinians. The fight over land and identity only contributed to violence and loss for both parties. The occurrences of 1948 paved the way for decades of disputes and resistance, which are
attributed to the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, the unresolved status of Palestinian refugees, and the absence of a peace agreement, which have hindered reconciliation. Therefore, efforts to quell this war should involve a solution prioritizing the rights, sovereignty, dignity, and identity of individuals from both parties.
References
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Morris, B. (n.d.). Revisiting the Palestinian exodus of 1948. The War for Palestine
, 37–59. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139167413.006
Pappe, I. (2006). The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
. Oneworld.
Shlaim A. (2014). The iron wall Israel and the Arab world
. New York, Ny Norton.
Smith, C. D. (2004). Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict
.
1948: Creation & Catastrophe (Full documentary)
. (2023, October 13). Www.youtube.com. https://youtu.be/Bwy-Rf15UIs?si=3xHy3S6FQum4Qg6K
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