pro-Arab direction, and ignored the lobbying efforts of the oil industry,
which was staunchly pro-Arab.
The Soviet Union also supported the creation of a Jewish state. Stalin pre-
ferred Jewish nationalism, with its socialist component, to Arab nationalism,
which appeared more backward. In addition, an alliance with a Jewish state
whose founders had a strong anti-British attitude seemed like a good way to
oust the British from the region.
In May 1947, the United Nations formed a special committee on Palestine
(UNSCOP). On August 31, 1947, UNSCOP recommended the creation of a
Jewish and an Arab state, with the Jews receiving 62 percent of Palestine and
the Arabs receiving 38 percent. On November 29, 1947, the UN approved
partition of Palestine, with 34 votes in favor, 13 against (11 Arab countries,
Greece, and Cuba), and 10 abstentions. The UN partition deviated from the
recommendation by UNSCOP, allotting 55 percent of Palestine to the Jews
and 45 percent to the Arabs, and placing Jerusalem and Bethlehem under
UN administration. The Zionist executive accepted this resolution immedi-
ately. Arabs in Palestine and elsewhere in neighboring states rejected it
outright, claiming that “Jews had no legitimate right to any territory.”
The UN partition marked the end of the diplomatic struggle for Jewish
statehood, and the beginning of a military struggle. All the surrounding
Arab states participated in this military conflict, as the British involved other
Arab states in discussions about the fate of Palestine. The British, moreover,
refused to facilitate an orderly transfer of power, largely retreating into their
bunkers after November 1947.
Hostilities between Jews and Arabs began in the winter of 1947–8, with
the Haganah, Irgun, and Lechi engaging Palestinian Arab guerrillas and mil-
itary units from other Arab countries. By May, 1948, included regular troops
from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon. The majority of Arab troops
were not from Palestine. King Abdullah of Transjordan sent legions, even
though he did not favor the creation of a Palestinian state. On May 14, 1948,
the British departure was followed by a declaration of the State of Israel as an
independent state.
Arab military forces invaded the next day, beginning what came to be
known to Israelis as the War of Independence. Arab forces had certain clear
advantages, including superior military strength. Unofficially, Britain had
aided the Arab military effort since late 1947, maintaining an embargo on
Jewish immigration and military supplies for Jews. The British also contin-
ued to sell weapons to Iraq and Transjordan, and made no attempt to prevent
infiltration by Arab guerrillas. Finally, the British handed over virtually com-
plete military installations to the Arabs.
At the same time, the Arabs had certain disadvantages. Their soldiers
lacked real commitment. Many of their troops were peasants who had been
forcibly recruited to fight a war in another country. Some Iraqi troops were
Jews in the postwar world 233