ABSTRACT
World War II was a pivotal point in the history of twentieth-century Palestine, as well as the dominant event of twentieth-century Europe. Within three years of the war's end in Europe, British forces withdrew from Palestine and David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency in Palestine, immediately proclaimed the existence of the state of Israel. What is noteworthy about British policy during and immediately after World War II, especially in the light of the Holocaust, is just how closely it preserved the intent of the White Paper of 1939, issued before Hitler embarked upon the "final solution." Although the Holocaust may be viewed by many as the catalyst in the establishment of Israel after World War II, the internal forces of Jewish history striving toward independent statehood had been set in motion long before and were reinforced by institutions established in Palestine during the mandate.
