Introduction and Overview. The UN General Assembly voted in principle to accept the UNSCOP Majority Plan for partition (with some amendments) in November 1947. On May 14th 1948 David Ben Gurion, leader of the Zionists in Palestine, suddenly declared the independence of Israel. The following day 5 Arab nations invaded the new Jewish state. Israel emerged victorious and with territory far in excess of what had been proposed by the UN. For the Palestinians this was “Al Nakba” – the disaster. This worksheet requires access to the “Days that Shook the World” documentary that can be purchased via Amazon.