In the wake of the Holocaust, the United Nations decided to formally create the state of Israel in 1947. But what if the UN decided against it? What would happen to the Jews already in Palestine (over 500,000) and the Palestinian Arabs. Furthermore, what happens to Judaism and the Jews outside of Palestine, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. The POD cannot be before 1945.
WI: UN Decides Not To Create Israel
- Thread starter PGSBHurricane
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For the record, I’m aware that the Jews of Palestine were far in the planning stages for a Jewish state, but what if those plans had to be scrapped from lack of international support? And furthermore I recognize the similarities between this thread and another of mine (involving Israel’s defeat in 1948) due to potentially similar end results but the scenarios are not identical.
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After the Holocaust, there was no way the UN was going to object to the creation of Israel.
The UN doesn't "create" countries. They partition plan was an attempt to mediate the tensions on Mandatory Palestine and prepare Jews and Arabs for an independent life post-Britain. But that doesn't mean they created Israel. That was made by the leaders of the Yishuv.
If the UN partition plan had failed the Jews would've probably declared Israel anyway.
If the UN partition plan had failed the Jews would've probably declared Israel anyway.
Umm, this has not much to do with what actually happened. Britain controlled Palestine under a League of Nations mandate, and allowed several hundred thousand Jews to immigrate there before WW II, in spite of opposition from Arab Palestinians. This was in accordance with the Balfour Declaration, which endorsed a "national home" for Jews in Palestine. Arab opposition became increasingly strident and often violent. In 1937, a British commission recommended partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab zones. Due to vehement Arab protests, Britain abandoned partition plans in 1939.
After WW II, Britain dumped the mess in the UN's lap. The UN then voted to for partition, which meant creation of a Jewish state.But the decision was rooted in Arab-Jewish hostility from before the war.
Deleted member 94680
The UN Partition Plan did fail in the real sense that it was not implemented in any way.
The Jewish Agency for Palestine (who I assume you’re referring to by “the Jews”) declared Independence separate to the UN Plan, the first was influenced by the second, but they weren’t linked formally.
Deleted member 94680
If they were strongly opposed, why did they vote in favour of the Partition Plan?
The UN didn’t vote to “create” Israel, it voted to adopt a specific partition plan of Palestine. A plan that was adopted but never implemented. The adoption of the plan in November led to a civil war which in May led to the Israeli Declaration of Independence. But Zionist leaders had intended to create a Jewish state for decades by that point, and already there was an anti-British insurgency in the Yishuv which compelled the British to withdraw eventually from Palestine (which is why they dumped the at the UN’s feet). Without the partition, the timeline of events would have been different, but most chances are that there would still be a civil war, followed by British withdrawal and Israeli Declaration of Independence, which then leads to an invasion by Arab countries, just like OTL. Maybe it happens a year or two later than OTL, but the Yishuv overwhelmingly wants a Jewish state and they’re over a third of the population and very well-organized, they don’t need UN resolutions to create their own state.
The US voted for the partition plan in November 1947, and after the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May 1948 was the first country to offficialy recognize Israel...
Deleted member 9338
Not so much the US was opposed, it was the State Department.
Truman issued a statement recognizing the new Jewish state and its government only a few minutes after the declaration.
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Make no mistake, I understand that plans were already under way, beginning with the Balfour Declaration and even before that. I specified 1947 because that was when the UN formally voted on a partition plan for an official Jewish state and an official Arab state in Palestine. Perhaps I should have worded it differently.
Ultimately the partition plan is what I meant. It kind of formalized the existence of both a Jewish state and Arab state in Palestine. De jure if you will. A Jewish state was probably going to be declared anyway, but the problem is what are they going to do if not one other country recognizes its existence?
Okay, I admit it’s implausible to get not even one. Still not impossible. In that case I revise my statement to say “not a single world power” in that other minor countries could recognize it. Admittedly, anti-semitism was at its peak during this period.
It's not a proper way to officially recognize a state. USA officially recognized Israel on 31 January 1949 .Truman issued a statement recognizing the new Jewish state and its government only a few minutes after the declaration.
Milestone Documents
The primary source documents on this page highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history or government. They are some of the most-viewed and sought-out documents in the holdings of the National Archives.
Stalin was a anti-semite but it di dnot stop him from setting land speed records in recognizing Israel.
In any event, Israel probably never had a more opportunity moment politically than in the years immediately after the Holocaust.
Maybe it would help if we knew what the point of departure is that causes the UN to back off any partition plan, and why that causes major powers to withhold recognition, too.