Key Facts
- Period
- 1947–1948 civil war phase of 1947–1949 Palestine war
- UN Plan for Jerusalem
- Corpus separatum under international administration
- Blockade broken by
- Operation Nachshon and Operation Maccabi (mid-April 1948)
- First UN Truce imposed
- 11 June 1948
- Final division
- West Jerusalem to Israel; East Jerusalem and Old City to Jordan
Strategic Narrative Overview
From February 1948, Arab militias under Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni blockaded the Tel Aviv–Jerusalem corridor, cutting off Jewish residents. Jewish forces broke the blockade in mid-April through Operations Nachshon and Maccabi under Plan Dalet. Jordan's Arab Legion then intervened, deploying in East Jerusalem, capturing the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, and re-blockading West Jerusalem via Latrun. Three Israeli assaults on Latrun failed, but an alternative road was constructed before the UN truce of 11 June.
01 / The Origins
Under the 1947 UN Partition Plan, Jerusalem was designated a corpus separatum to be governed by an international body, belonging to neither the proposed Jewish nor Arab state. This arrangement was immediately rejected in practice as Jewish and Arab militias began fighting for control of the city, carrying out bombings and attacks against each other from the moment the plan was announced.
03 / The Outcome
The UN truce of 11 June 1948 halted major fighting, which did not resume meaningfully for Jerusalem during the remaining war. The city was divided: Israel held West Jerusalem and Jordan held East Jerusalem including the Old City. Jewish Quarter residents were expelled and combatants taken prisoner to Jordan. This partition persisted until the 1967 Six-Day War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni, Abdullah I of Jordan.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.