How did UN Resolution 181 propose dividing British-ruled Palestine?

United Nations Resolution 181, passed by the UN General Assembly on November 29, 1947, proposed the partition of British-ruled Palestine into two independent states: one Arab and one Jewish, which were to be joined in an economic union.12

Key components of the resolution included:

• Territorial Division: The plan allotted slightly more than half of the land west of the Jordan River to the proposed Jewish state.2
• Jerusalem: The city of Jerusalem and its surrounding area, including Bethlehem, were to be designated as a corpus separatum (a "separate entity") governed by a special international regime under the administration of the United Nations.13
• Implementation: The resolution tasked a UN Palestine Commission with overseeing the transition, including the selection of provisional government councils for both states, with the goal of ending the British mandate.2

While the Jewish community viewed the resolution as a legal basis for the establishment of Israel, the Arab community rejected the plan, leading to widespread conflict. Ultimately, the partition plan was never implemented as the British mandate ended in May 1948 amid the outbreak of the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.123