What Is 1947 Partition plan for Palestine

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Last updated: April 14, 2026

Quick Answer: The 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine, officially UN Resolution 181, proposed dividing British Mandate Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem under international control. It was adopted on November 29, 1947, by a vote of 33 in favor, 13 against, and 10 abstentions.

Key Facts

The 1947 UN Partition Plan was formally known as UN General Assembly Resolution 181.
It recommended dividing Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a corpus separatum for Jerusalem.
The plan allocated about 56% of Mandatory Palestine to the proposed Jewish state.
Jewish leaders accepted the plan, but Arab leaders rejected it outright.
The resolution passed with 33 votes in favor, 13 against, and 10 abstentions on November 29, 1947.

Overview

The 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine was a proposal by the United Nations Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) to resolve escalating conflict between Jewish and Arab communities in the British Mandate of Palestine. Following World War II and the Holocaust, international pressure mounted to establish a Jewish homeland, while the Arab population opposed any division of the land.

The plan aimed to create two independent states—one Jewish and one Arab—with Jerusalem designated as an international city under UN supervision. Although the plan was non-binding, it represented a significant diplomatic effort to bring peace through territorial compromise.

Resolution 181: Officially adopted on November 29, 1947, the plan passed in the UN General Assembly with 33 in favor, 13 against, and 10 abstentions.
Land allocation: The proposed Jewish state received approximately 56% of Mandatory Palestine, including the fertile coastal plain and Negev Desert, despite Jews owning about 7% of the land at the time.
Arab state: The Arab state was allocated about 43% of the territory, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and parts of Galilee, though Arab leaders rejected the plan.
Corpus separatum: Jerusalem and its surrounding areas were to become an international zone administered by the UN due to the city's religious significance to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Population distribution: In 1947, the population was about 1.3 million Arabs and 650,000 Jews, making the Arab population a majority of roughly 67%.

How It Works

The 1947 Partition Plan was not a binding treaty but a recommendation by the UN General Assembly to the British government and local populations. Its implementation relied on cooperation from both Jewish and Arab leaders, as well as the withdrawal of British forces by 1948.

UNSCOP: The United Nations Special Committee on Palestine, formed in May 1947, conducted investigations and hearings before recommending partition as the preferred solution.
Partition boundaries: The borders were drawn by UNSCOP based on demographic, economic, and geographic factors, though they often split villages and isolated communities.
Population transfer: The plan acknowledged that population exchanges might be necessary to minimize ethnic enclaves and reduce future conflict.
Economic union: The two proposed states were to form a customs union and coordinate transportation, electricity, and water resources for mutual benefit.
Implementation timeline: The British Mandate was set to end by August 1948, with the expectation that both states would become independent by that date.
Security provisions: The UN was expected to oversee the transition, including the withdrawal of British troops and the establishment of local governance structures.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of the proposed territories and populations under the 1947 UN Partition Plan:

Category	Jewish State	Arab State	Jerusalem (International)
Land Area	~14,105 km² (56%)	~10,150 km² (43%)	~200 km² (1%)
Jewish Population	~500,000 (majority)	~10,000	~100,000 (mixed)
Arab Population	~400,000	~700,000 (majority)	~105,000
Major Cities	Tel Aviv, Haifa	Jericho, Gaza	Entire city of Jerusalem
Status	Proposed Jewish state	Proposed Arab state	Corpus separatum under UN

The table highlights how the plan attempted to balance demographic and territorial concerns, though it left many Arab communities within the proposed Jewish state and vice versa. The small size of the Jerusalem enclave reflected its unique religious and political status, but also made it logistically challenging to administer.

Why It Matters

The 1947 Partition Plan remains a pivotal moment in Middle Eastern history, setting the stage for the creation of Israel and the first Arab-Israeli war. Though never implemented as written, it shaped diplomatic discourse and future peace efforts for decades.

Foundation for Israel: The plan provided international legitimacy for the Declaration of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948.
Arab rejection: Arab leaders and neighboring countries rejected the plan, viewing it as unjust due to the disproportionate land allocation to Jews.
1948 War: The rejection led to civil conflict in Palestine and the full-scale Arab-Israeli War of 1948 after Israel's independence.
Refugee crisis: The conflict resulted in the displacement of over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs, creating a lasting refugee issue.
Precedent for future talks: Later peace initiatives, including the 1993 Oslo Accords, referenced the concept of two states for two peoples.
Symbolic legacy: November 29 is commemorated by Israel as UN Partition Plan Day, though it remains controversial in Palestinian memory.

The plan's failure to achieve immediate peace underscores the complexity of territorial compromise in deeply contested regions. Yet, its vision of two states continues to influence diplomatic efforts today.