▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Special ▁Committee ▁on ▁Palest ine ▁recommended ▁that ▁western ▁Palest ine ▁should ▁be ▁partition ed ▁into ▁a ▁Jewish ▁state , ▁an ▁Arab ▁state ▁and ▁a ▁UN - control led ▁territory , ▁Cor pus ▁separ atum , ▁around ▁Jerusalem . ▁This ▁partition ▁plan ▁was ▁adopted ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁with ▁UN ▁G A ▁Resol ution ▁ 1 8 1 , ▁ 3 3 ▁votes ▁in ▁favor , ▁ 1 3 ▁against , ▁and ▁ 1 0 ▁ab st ent ions . ▁The ▁vote ▁led ▁to ▁celebr ations ▁in ▁Jewish ▁communities ▁and ▁protest s ▁in ▁Arab ▁communities ▁throughout ▁Palest ine . ▁Vi ol ence ▁throughout ▁the ▁country , ▁previously ▁a ▁Jewish ▁ins ur gency ▁against ▁the ▁British , ▁with ▁some ▁sp or adic ▁Jewish - A rab ▁fighting , ▁spir alled ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 – 1 9 4 9 ▁Palest ine ▁war . ▁The ▁conflict ▁led ▁to ▁an ▁ex od us ▁of ▁about ▁ 7 1 1 , 0 0 0 ▁Palest in ian ▁Arab s , ▁known ▁in ▁Arab ic ▁as ▁al - N ak ba ▁(" the ▁Cat ast rop he "). ▁More ▁than ▁a ▁quarter ▁had ▁already ▁fled ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁declaration ▁of ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Israel ▁and ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Arab – Is ra eli ▁War . ▁ ▁Later , ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁laws ▁passed ▁by ▁the ▁first ▁Isra eli ▁government ▁prevent ed ▁Palest ini ans ▁from ▁returning ▁to ▁their ▁homes ,