Partition of Palestine

Itzhak Galnoor is Professor of Political Science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and editor of the Eshkolot Library, a book series on society and politics in Israel. He was awarded the Naftali Prize in Social Sciences in 1987 for his book Steering the Polity—Communications and Politics in Israel.

• Illustrations Tables Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter One. State, Territory, and Boundaries: A General Discussion Territorial BehaviorThe Roles of TerritoryTerritory and the StateTerritory and the Nation-StateGeopolitics and International RelationsBoundariesTerritorial DecisionsChapter Two. The Background Boundaries of Palestine (E.I.)Establishment of the Royal Commission: External EventsEstablishment of the Royal Commission: Internal EventsChronology of Main EventsChapter Three. The Predecision Phase Jewish Testimony Before the Royal CommissionEl-Husseini's Testimony Before the Royal CommissionZionist Attempts to Influence the Commission's ReportThe Internal Debate Before Publication of the ReportRecommendations of the Royal CommissionChapter Four. Choice Analysis Main ChoicesPositions at the Decision Crossroad, 1937The ArgumentsChapter Five. Predecision Positions Initial Reactions to the ReportDivision Within the Labor Parties and the LeftDivision Within the Center and the Right PartiesDivision Within the Religious and Ultra-Orthodox PartiesAdditional PositionsPositions on the Eve of the DecisionChapter Six. The Opponents Opposing the StateStatehood: The Question of TimingSovereignty, Yes; Partition, NoSummary of the Opponents' PositionsChapter Seven. The Undecided Extent of TerritoryBoundaries and SecurityDemography and the Question of "Transfer"Territories for PeaceChapter Eight. The Proponents Partition Without PreconditionsPartition as the "Right" SolutionTotal SupportSummary of the Proponents' PositionsChapter Nine. The Decision The Main ResolutionsThe OppositionThe Decision-Making ProcessThe Decision: Instrumental PragmatismIn the Wake of the 1937 DecisionChapter Ten. 1937 and Its Aftermath Land and Settlement Policy: 1936-1939The "Arab Question" in the Zionist DecisionState, Territory, and Boundaries: The Meaning of the 1937 DecisionTerritorial DecisionsChapter Eleven. Territorial Decisions in the Zionist Movement (1919-1949) 191919371947ConclusionsNotes Bibliography ArchivesIndex

"The merits of this study are of an uncommon order. It is an impressive use of rich historical materials by a political scientist to clarify crucial concepts — state, nation, territory, sovereignty, boundaries — and to probe fundamental issues. Galnoor examines the relative importance of geography and politics, pragmatism and ideology, in the choice among options on a fateful issue that is suffused with passion; the decision process; coalition-building; and the role of perceptions and attitudes in political behavior, in this case a turning point vote by a national movement. It is a highly analytical work, with a well-articulated framework and clearly defined categories, concepts, and research questions." — Michael Brecher, McGill University"I found this book fascinating. As I read, I was constantly discussing it with those around me. It illuminated the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict from a perspective I had not thought much about." — Joel S. Migdal, University of Washington