White Paper

**White Paper**
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### Background

During the British Mandate in Palestine, a series of laws and measures known as White Papers were issued to establish the proxy policy on the situation in Palestine. These documents played a significant role in shaping the fate of the region.

### First White Paper (1939)

The first White Paper, also known as the Churchill White Paper, was published in response to the opposition from Palestinian Arabs to the establishment of a "Jewish national home" and Jewish immigration to Palestine. Winston Churchill, then Secretary to the Colonies, issued this document to address these concerns.

The paper restricted the territory allocated for the Jewish homeland and gave control of the lands east of the Jordan River to Emir Abdallah. While it reaffirmed the right of the Jewish people to return to their ancestral land, it imposed a condition on immigration based on the financial resources of applicants. The document also clarified that Palestine could not be considered an exclusively Jewish political entity, stating: "the terms of the Declaration to which reference is made do not envisage that Palestine as a whole be converted into a 'Jewish Commonwealth'."

### Impact and Resistance

The White Papers provoked discontent among the Jewish population, particularly due to restrictions on immigration. This led to increased tensions, culminating in a series of anti-British attacks by the Irgun starting from 1939. The violence escalated during World War II, with dissidents from the Irgun and Lehi carrying out attacks between 1941-1942.

The armed opposition to the White Papers intensified after the war, with the resumption of Irgun attacks in February 1944. Between 1944 and 1948, the combined forces of Lehi, Irgun, and Haganah killed over 300 British personnel, as well as several dozen Jews and Arabs.

### Legacy

The White Papers remain a significant chapter in the history of Palestine, highlighting the complexities and conflicts that arose during the British Mandate. The documents' impact on the region's politics and demographics continues to be studied by historians and scholars today.