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Let's not suggest that in 1947 the U.N. partitioned Palestine

Reader comment on item: Obama to Palestinians: Accept the Jewish State

Submitted by Marjorie Stamm Rosenfeld (United States), Apr 5, 2013 at 02:37

Mr. Pipes writes, "U.N. General Assembly Resolution 181 of 1947, partitioning Palestine into two, mentions the term Jewish state 30 times."

This statement makes it sound as if the UNGA actually partitioned Palestine, when, in fact, it didn't. UNGA resolutions are non-binding and function only as recommendations, requiring the agreement of affected parties to become binding. The Palestinian Arabs rejected the partition resolution and attacked Palestinian Jews as soon as passage of the resolution was announced in November 1947, killing almost 2,000 Jews during the six months prior to the declaration of Israel as a state in May 1948. This and the invasion of neighboring Arab countries the day after the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, invalidated partition. It's important to understand this because people who think the U.N. partitioned Palestine are people who also think that Israel is stealing Palestinian land. The one idea follows logically from the other.

I certainly agree with all the rest of the article and would like to say that with four states calling themselves Islamic Republics (Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, and Mauritania) and any number of other states indicating in their Constitutions that they are Islamic states, anyone who says there can't also be a Jewish state has revealed himself to be a bigot, a racist, or an anti-Semite--perhaps all three!

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

True, except that the British government indicated it would abide by the UNGA decision. So it was in effect binding and was therefore taken very seriously by all involved.

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Reader comments (56) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
israel is jewish state [45 words]pamanApr 9, 2013 16:44205049
Fill in the blanks. Draw a map. [115 words]LynnApr 6, 2013 10:49204975
1Let's not suggest that in 1947 the U.N. partitioned Palestine [221 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Marjorie Stamm RosenfeldApr 5, 2013 02:37204958
UN Partition of Palestine violated international law [154 words]Salomon BenzimraApr 6, 2013 22:38204958
2Let's not suggest that in 1947 the U.N. partitioned Palestine [331 words]Marjorie Stamm RosenfeldApr 7, 2013 03:00204958
1To Daniel Pipes: The British did not abide by the Partition Plan, and the UN Security Council did not adopt it. [264 words]JakeMay 28, 2013 12:30204958
60 years old delusion [82 words]BenApr 1, 2013 13:26204889
2A Rose is a rose under any Name [83 words]Michael Hanni MorcosMar 31, 2013 13:50204872
Obama [5 words]russianmanMar 31, 2013 12:12204870
2Not so groundbreaking, Dr. Pipes [482 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
There is NO Santa ClausMar 30, 2013 12:57204838
2Mutual Mistrust??? [192 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Ali BabaMar 29, 2013 16:02204806
Blame should lie with fate itself [38 words]Ali BabaMar 30, 2013 16:24204806
Somehow, Somewhere, obama Will Weasel Out [110 words]Domenic PepeMar 29, 2013 11:47204786
8on Abdel Bari Atwan's statement [113 words]CarolMar 28, 2013 16:26204772
2A NEW NAME FOR ISRAEL [98 words]JACQUES HADIDAMar 28, 2013 12:42204767
the Israeli flag [15 words]mythMar 31, 2013 11:35204767
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1Israelite Prophecies Still Stand the Test of Time [522 words]M. ToveyJul 8, 2013 11:33204747
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2One can only dream... [60 words]Paul RothbergMar 27, 2013 11:26204745
Dream on [89 words]IlsensteinMar 30, 2013 23:44204745
dogmatic quality [59 words]mythMar 26, 2013 19:36204731
2It's only an issue if the western press says it is [106 words]saraMar 26, 2013 17:02204727
1OBAMA ISRAEL SPEECH [119 words]peter knopflerMar 26, 2013 15:12204722
1let us now see [77 words]William EastMar 26, 2013 14:36204721
1Obama has changed - grown up as he does so [40 words]Ian CampbellMar 26, 2013 13:43204719
11Islamic Republic of... [108 words]Richard GordonMar 26, 2013 11:22204715
2muslim hypocrisy [124 words]DanMar 27, 2013 12:24204715
3Israel is Jewish according to my Christian Bible ! [37 words]Phil GreendMar 27, 2013 18:05204715
1What Bible? [29 words]Amin RiazApr 2, 2013 20:05204715
1The Christian Holy Bible with its Jewish Origins Clearly Support Israel's Position in the Holy Land [349 words]M. ToveyApr 4, 2013 16:31204715
1Our new Zionist opportunity [124 words]דר' חגית גל-עדMar 26, 2013 10:17204713
"Jewish state" challenge. [47 words]BenMar 27, 2013 09:53204713
2This issue has nothing to do with Israel. [28 words]IamJosephMar 26, 2013 10:09204712
A little Invention [21 words]Amin RiazApr 2, 2013 20:09204712
3It's No Invention [92 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 3, 2013 19:21204712
Grand Fantasies [36 words]Amin RiazApr 3, 2013 19:37204712
5Take the blinders off and look at the Emperor's new clothes [17 words]EdwardApr 4, 2013 11:26204712
3it's the main Pillar of Islam [85 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 4, 2013 18:59204712
4The quaint grand mufti [69 words]JeffApr 4, 2013 20:46204712
It's raining cats and dogs [190 words]Amin RiazApr 5, 2013 20:08204712
2Who is God ? [182 words]RIPApr 5, 2013 21:24204712
Back to the Basics. [27 words]Amin RiazApr 6, 2013 21:13204712
5Your God's concensus is full of Holes [197 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 8, 2013 17:01204712
3What you are saying has No bearings [60 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 8, 2013 17:17204712
2What a coincidence [102 words]JeffApr 8, 2013 21:52204712
1Old hatred coming to fore. [92 words]Amin RiazApr 9, 2013 14:49204712
Why let logic get in the way. [62 words]Amin RiazApr 9, 2013 19:51204712
1Who is Almighty God Indeed and Whose Prayers Does He LIsten To? [300 words]M. ToveyApr 10, 2013 11:03204712
3You are in for a Rude Awakening [160 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 12, 2013 17:12204712
Move on son [340 words]Amin RiazApr 12, 2013 22:27204712
3Sanctity of Life [132 words]ChasApr 14, 2013 02:27204712
Old prejudices coming to fore. [261 words]Amin RiazApr 14, 2013 19:28204712
1Zombies [98 words]Michael Hanni MorcosApr 15, 2013 00:18204712

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