United States Recognizes Israel's Provisional Government

The end of Britain's mandate followed years in which Jewish aspirations for a national home and Palestinian Arab demands for self government had come into conflict. Nazi persecution and the Holocaust made refuge and Jewish statehood urgent international questions. Britain referred Palestine's future to the United Nations, whose General Assembly adopted a partition proposal in November 1947 without securing agreement among the affected communities. [1]

The White House recognized Israel’s provisional government on 14 May 1948, following its declaration of independence as the British mandate in Palestine ended. In the short statement, a reference to a Jewish state was crossed out and replaced with the new country’s name. [1]

The decision came amid war and displacement. The United Nations had proposed partition into Arab and Jewish states, but no agreed settlement had followed. American recognition supported the new Israeli government while leaving unresolved the competing national claims and the future of people uprooted by the fighting. [1] [3]

Eleven days later, Chaim Weizmann visited Harry S. Truman at the White House and presented him with a Torah. The United States granted de jure recognition in January 1949, and James McDonald presented his credentials as ambassador in March. [4] [2]

Truman's initial decision granted de facto recognition to Israel's provisional government. [1] [2] [3]

Related Diplomats

1. Eliahu Elath [5]

Related Reading

• Israel and the United States