UN Resolution 181, also known as the **United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine**, was adopted by the UN General Assembly on **November 29, 1947**. It called for the partition of the British Mandate of Palestine into two separate states, one Jewish and one Arab, with Jerusalem placed under international administration due to its religious significance.
Key points offered in UN Resolution 181 include:
1. **Partition of Palestine**: The plan divided Palestine into two states:
- **Jewish State**: Approximately 55% of the land, though the Jewish population made up about one-third of the total population at the time.
- **Arab State**: Around 45% of the land, designated for the Arab population, who were the majority in Palestine.
2. **Jerusalem as an International City**: Jerusalem and its surrounding areas, including Bethlehem, were to be placed under a special international regime, administered by the UN, to protect the religious interests of Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
3. **Economic Union**: Despite the political partition, the two states were to maintain an economic union, sharing currency, customs, transportation, and other key infrastructure.
4. **Timetable for Implementation**: The plan called for a staged withdrawal of British forces and the establishment of the two independent states, which were to come into existence no later than October 1, 1948.
The **Jewish leadership** accepted the plan, though reluctantly due to compromises on territory and the international status of Jerusalem. The **Arab leaders** and neighboring Arab states rejected it, arguing that it unfairly favored the Jewish minority and violated the rights of the Arab majority.
The rejection of the plan by the Arab side led to the **1948 Arab-Israeli War** following Israel's declaration of independence in May 1948.