On November 29, 1947, the 128th session of the United Nations General Assembly opened in New York. On the agenda is a proposal to divide Palestine into two states: one Jewish and one Arab.
For the proposal to pass, at least two thirds of the 56 countries represented would need to vote in favour.
Because no one believed that the proposal would pass, most of the JAT representatives had already returned to Palestine.
Only the liaison officer of the United Nations Special Committee on the Question of Palestine, Abba Eban, remained resolutely.
He sent a telegram to Léon Bloom, the former French Prime Minister, ending with the words: "Can France choose to abstain or be absent at this moment that no one will forget and that will forever be etched in the memory of mankind?".”
Compensation to the Jews?”
At the request of the United Kingdom, the United Nations appointed an international commission of inquiry in April 1947.
The final report recommended the establishment of a Jewish state and an Arab state.
Britain was taken by surprise and rejected the offer, but announced that it would relinquish the administration of Palestine within six months.
Ambassador of Palestine to UNESCO.
Elias Sambal.
What the Palestinian leadership did not see in 1948 was that the great thing had taken place, and the world was convinced that the victims should be compensated, and that the fundamental remedy for the victims was the establishment of a Jewish state, which was the only appropriate way to remedy Nazi barbarism. ”
Just as the UN Commission of Inquiry intervened, Israel's Mossad tried to force Britain to open Palestinian ports for Jewish use.
It chartered an old ship called Exodus 1947 for the operation, which arrived outside Haifa with 4,500 Jewish immigrants from Central Europe.
Most of the passengers were survivors of Nazi concentration camps who chose to travel to Palestine rather than stay in refugee camps.
They thought they could finally set foot in the "Promised Land," but the Royal Navy boarded and searched the ship. In the chaos, three passengers were killed and another hundred were injured.
This move shocked the world.
Britain had to compromise with the international community and settle the "Jewish question" as peacefully as possible.
a moment etched into the memory of mankind".
On November 29, 1947, at the United Nations, delegations prepared to vote on the future of Palestine.
David Ben-Gurion.
David Ben-Gurion listened to the results of the first round of voting on the radio.
Also present was Eleanor Roosevelt, the widow of the former American **. She was influential in bringing the United States into World War II and played a decisive role in the creation of the United Nations.
France was initially silent about the plan, but Leon Bloom was moved by a telegram from Zionist leader Haim Weizman and promised to use all his influence to help him.
Truman, then the United States, put pressure on reluctant nations to vote for the partition plan. In return, the Philippines and Haiti will receive loans.
Ambassador of Palestine to UNESCO.
Elias Sambal.
Most people were going to vote against the partition plan, but Americans postponed the vote on the pretext of Thanksgiving. Then, the United States influenced the support of two small countries that we can't even find on the world map during the National Day, and the majority vote changed as a result. ”
Soviet *** long Andrei Gromyko.
At that time, the Soviet *** Andrei Gromyko surprised the Western world with an unexpected speech in support of Zionism.
In his speech, he said: "In the last war, the Jews experienced unbelievable pain......This explains why the Jews want to build their own state. It is unjust ...... to deny them this right”
Israeli historian.
Dina Borat.
Gromyko's speech made him act like a Zionist himself. For years, the Soviets hunted down the Zionists and imprisoned them in the Gulag. ”
Israeli historian.
Eli Barnaouy.
Gromyko's speech had nothing to do with the situation at the time. Soviet diplomacy has never been distinguished by emotion. ”
Israeli historian.
Dina Borat.
Everything came down to interests, and the USSR wanted to take the place of Britain in the Middle East. The USSR knew that Britain would be forced to leave and wanted to be the first to act, lest the United States take their place. ”
The vote on the proposal of the Special Committee on the Question of Palestine was 33 in favour, 13 against and 10 abstentions.
Israeli historian.
Eli Barnaouy.
Obtaining a majority of votes for the 'partition' proposal in November 1947 was something we never imagined. Even then, it wasn't easy. ”
The proposal for partition was formally adopted, and Israel was born.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 divides Palestine into two states, with Jerusalem under the administration of the United Nations.
However, the majority of Palestinian Arabs and all Arab countries are opposed to this plan, as well as any ** to Palestine.
After the proposal passed, David Ben-Gurion did not hide his concerns, saying that "today people are dancing, but tomorrow, blood will flow." ”
The Arabs launched terrorist attacks, bombs were in the cities **, roads were mined.
In Jerusalem, 100 Jews were killed in a car bomb attack on the Palestinian Post office, Ben Yehuda Road Market and the Jewish Affairs Bureau.
In Haifa, members of the Haganah** paramilitary group "Irgon" dropped two bombs on a group of Arab workers, killing six of them.
In retaliation, the angry crowd killed 39 Jews before British soldiers could restore order.
The conflict has been going on for more than a century since Jews came to establish settlements in the early 20th century.
Elias Sambar, Palestinian Ambassador to UNESCO, said: "For many years, we, including me, have repeatedly asked the question: 'Does Israel really want peace?'"As the negotiations and meetings continued, I began to understand and ask myself another question, which was: 'Can Israel achieve peace?'’”
Please **Phoenix Big Vision.
The Torn Earth - A Hundred Years of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Editor: Wang Dingyao.