Palestine partition plan as approved by the United Nations 128th plenary session Nov. 29, 1947

The resolution was approved by the general assembly, 33 votes in favor, 13 votes against, with 10 abstentions. The vote was as follows: voting for approval: Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Byelorussian soviet socialist republic, Canada, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominican republic, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, library, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Ukrainian soviet socialist republic, union of south Africa, union of soviet socialist republics, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.

Voting against approval: Afghanistan, Cuba, Egypt, Greece, India, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen.

Abstaining from the vote: Argentina, Chile, china, Columbia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Honduras, Mexico, united kingdom, Yugoslavia.

The general assembly,

Having met in special session at the request of the mandatory power to constitute and instruct a special committee to prepare for the consideration of the question of the future government of Palestine at the second regular session.

Having constituted a special committee and instructed it to investigate all questions and issues relevant to the problem of Palestine, and to prepare proposals for the solution of the problem, and Having received and examined the report of the special committee (document a/364) including a number of unanimous recommendations and a plan of partition with economic union approved by the majority of the special committee.

Considers that the present situation in Palestine is one which is likely to impair the general welfare and friendly relations among nations;

Takes note of the declaration by the mandatory power that it plans to complete its evacuation of Palestine by 1 august 1948;

Recommends to the united kingdom, as the mandatory power for Palestine, and to all other members of the united nations the adaptation and implementing, with regard to the future government of Palestine, of the plan of partition with economic union set out below;

Requests that;

1.The security council take the necessary measures as provided for in the plan for its implementation;

2.The security council consider, if circumstances during the transitional period require such consideration, whether the situation in Palestine constitutes a threat to peace. If it decides that such a threat exists, and in order to maintain the international peace and security, the security council should supplement the authorization of the general assembly by taking measures under articles 39 and 41 of the charter, to empower the united nations commission, as provided in this resolution, to exercise in Palestine the functions which are assigned to it by this resolution;

3.The security council determine as a threat to the peace, breach of the peace or act of aggression, in accordance with article 39 of the charter, any attempt to alter by force the settlement envisaged by this resolution;

4.The trusteeship council be informed of the responsibilities envisaged for it in this plan; Calls upon the inhabitants of Palestine to take such steps as may be necessary on their part to put this plan into effect;

Appeals to all governments and all peoples to refrain from taking any action which might hamper or delay the carrying out of these recommendations,

And, Authorizes the secretary general to reimburse travel and subsistence appropriate in the circumstances, and to provide the commission with the necessary staff to assist in carrying out the functions assigned to the commission by the general assembly.

UN Resolution 181(II) B

The general assembly,

Authorizes the secretary general to draw from the working capital fund a sum not to exceed $2,000,000 for the purposes set forth in the last paragraph of the resolution on the future government of Palestine.

1.In view of its association with three world religions, the Jerusalem area, including the present municipality of Jerusalem plus the surrounding villages and towns, the most eastern of which shall be Abu Dis; the most southern, Bethlehem, the most western, Ein Karim (including also the built-up area of Motsa); and the most northern Shu'fat, should be accorded special and separate treatment from the rest of Palestine and should be placed under effective United Nations control .

2.The refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practical date, and that compensation should be paid for the property of those choosing not to return and for loss of or damage to property which, under principles of international law or in equity, should be made good by the Governments or authorities responsible;

3.Resolution instructs the Conciliation Commission to facilitate the repatriation, resettlement and economic and social rehabilitation of the refugees and the payment of compensation, and to maintain close relations with the Director of the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and, through him, with the appropriate organs and agencies of the United Nations.

Sponsored by the United Kingdom and France, the resolution is deliberately ambiguous. It has been accepted by Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel. It has also been accepted by the PLO.

The Security Council,

Expressing its continuing concern with the grave situation in the Middle East.

Emphasizing the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in which every state in the area can live in security.

Emphasizing further that all member states in their acceptance of the Charter of the United Nations have undertaken a commitment to act in accordance with Article 2 of the Charter.

1.Affirms that the fulfillment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles:

1.Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories of recent conflict.

2.Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every state in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats or acts of force.

2.Affirms further the necessity for:

1.Guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area.

2.Achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem.

3.Guaranteeing the territorial inviolability and political independence of every state in the area through measures including the establishment of demilitarized zones.

3.Requests the Secretary General to designate a special representative to proceed to the Middle East to establish and maintain contacts within the state concerned in order to promote agreement and assist efforts to achieve a peaceful and accepted settlement in accordance with the provisions and principles in this resolution.'

(N.B. The official French text refers to withdrawal des territories.)

Accepted by the PLO

The Security Council,

1.Calls upon all parties to the present fighting to cease all fighting and to terminate all military activity Immediately, no later than 12 hours after the movement of the adoption of this decision, in the positions they now occupy.

2.Calls upon the parties concerned to start Immediately after the cease fire the implementation of Security Council resolution 242 (1967) in all of its parts.

3.Decides that, immediately and concurrently with the cease fire, negotiations shall start between the parties concerned under appraimed at establishing a just and a durable peace in the Middle East.

Drand sponsored by USA and the former USSR jointly. Adopted unanimously China abstain Accepted by the PLO

1.Affirming once more that the fourth Geneva convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war of 12 August 1949 is applicable to the Arab territories occupied by Israel since 1967, including Jerusalem.

2.Determines that all measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure of status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof, have no legal validity and that Israel's policy and practices of setting parts of its population and new Immigrants in those territories constitute a flagrant violation of the fourth Geneva convention relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war and also constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

3.Strongly deplores the continuation and persistence of Israel in pursuing those policies and practices and calls upon the government and people of Israel to rescind those measures, to dismantle the existing settlements and in particular to cease, on an urgent basis, the establishment, construction and planning of settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem.

4.Calls upon all states not to provide Israel with any assistance to be used specifically in connection with settlements in the Occupied Territories.

5.Requests the commission to continue to examine the situation relating to the settlements in the Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, to investigate the reported serious depletion of natural resources, particularly the water resources, with a view to ensuring the protection of those important natural resources of the territories under occupation, and keep under close scrutiny the implementation of the present resolution.

The Security Council,

1.Expresses its grave concern over the rejection by Israel of Security Council resolutions 672 and 673.

2.Deplores the decision of the government of Israel to resume deportations of Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.

3.Urges the government of Israel to accept de jure applicability of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, to all the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, and to abide scrupulously by the provisions of the said convention.

4.Calls on the high contracting parties to the Geneva Convention to ensure respect by Israel for its obligations under the convention.

5.Requests the Secretary General, in co-operation with the International Committee of the Red Cross to develop further the idea from his report of convening a meeting of the high contracting parties, to discuss possible measures that might be taken by them under the convention.

6.Requests the Secretary General to monitor and observe the situation regarding Palestinian civilians under Israeli occupation, making new efforts in this regard on an urgent basis, and to utilize and designate or draw upon the United Nations and other personnel and resources present there in the area and elsewhere to accomplish this task, and to keep the Security Council regularly informed. 7.Requests further the Secretary General to submit a first progress report to the Security Council by the first week of March, 1991, and every four months thereafter.'

President's statement:

The members of the Security Council reaffirm their determination to support an active negotiating process in which all relevant parties would participate leading to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace to the Arab-Israeli conflict. In this context they agree that an international conference should facilitate efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement.

However, the members of the council are of the view that there is not unanimity as to when would be the appropriate time for such a conference.

In the view of the members of the council, the Arab- Israeli conflict is important and unique and must be addressed independently on its own merits.