On 29.11.1947, the UN Assembly voted 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions, for the Partition Plan that divided Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. The Palestinian Arabs and the neighboring Arab countries rejected this decision, and the following day marked the beginning of the War of Independence. In April 1948, as the British Mandate drew to a close, the British authorities abandoned their control over civilian affairs. This vacuum was filled by the Minhelet Ha’am, the temporary government of the Jewish community, which lasted until the State of Israel was proclaimed on 14.5.1948. The continuation of the postal services was a prime objective of the Minhelet Ha’am administration, and a significant effort was made to effect a smooth transition from the Mandatory postal system to the Israeli post, in spite of the difficult political and military situation at the time. The military situation left large parts of the country under siege, including Jerusalem, the Western Galilee, the Negev and other areas, and prevented normal international postal links.