"Arabs rejected partition in 1947."

Supporters argue that “Arabs rejected partition in 1947,” pointing out that Palestinian and Arab leaders refused the UN’s proposal to divide Mandatory Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. They claim this refusal demonstrates an unwillingness to compromise peace and share the land, placing blame for ensuing conflict squarely on the Arabs.

While it is true that Arab states and the Arab Higher Committee formally rejected UN Resolution 181, out of concern that it allotted disproportionate land to a Jewish state despite the Palestinian Arab majority, this rejection did not signify a refusal to live alongside Jews. Many Palestinians opposed the plan because it violated principles of self-determination and majority rule. The Arab rejection was grounded in the injustice embedded in the allocation, not an unwillingness to coexist.

The vote on UNGA 181 carried 33 in favor and 13 against, with 10 abstentions. The Arab delegation, including both Palestinian leaders and neighboring states, deemed the plan unfair: it granted 56.5% of the land to the Jewish state even though Jews comprised about one-third of the population and owned only around 6–7% of the land. They viewed this as an imbalanced distribution benefiting colonizing settlers. Their rejection reflected concerns over legitimacy, not a blanket refusal to share the territory.