June 30, 1948 - End of an Era: The Last British Ships Leave the Port of Haifa
- Nir Topper
- Jun 30
- 4 min read
The British Mandate for Palestine -
The British presence in the Land of Israel officially began after the First World War, with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which had ruled the region for 400 years.
The Conquest of the Land and the Balfour Declaration: In December 1917, during the war, the British Army under the command of General Allenby conquered Jerusalem. A month earlier, on November 2, 1917, the British government had issued the Balfour Declaration, which expressed support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in the Land of Israel. This declaration was a political cornerstone for the future British presence and the Zionist enterprise.
Receiving the Mandate: After the war, at the San Remo conference in 1920, the Allied Powers decided to grant Britain a Mandate (power of attorney) over the Land of Israel. The Mandate was officially ratified by the League of Nations on July 24, 1922. The Mandate for Palestine included the Balfour Declaration and assigned Britain a dual and complex responsibility:
To assist in the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people.
To safeguard the civil and religious rights of the non-Jewish communities in the country.
The Mandate Period (1922-1948): For about 26 years, Britain ruled the Land of Israel. This period was characterized by accelerated development of infrastructure (roads, ports, railways), the establishment of governing institutions, and demographic and economic growth. Concurrently, the period was fraught with ever-increasing tensions between the Jewish community (the "Yishuv") and the Arab population. The British tried to maneuver between the two populations and their conflicting commitments, which led to the policy of "White Papers" that restricted Jewish immigration and land purchases, especially after the "Great Arab Revolt" (1936-1939).
The Background to the End of the Mandate and the British Departure
At the end of the Second World War, several factors converged, leading to Britain's decision to terminate the Mandate and leave the Land of Israel.
An Exhausted Britain: Britain emerged from the Second World War economically and militarily exhausted. The British Empire had begun to crumble, and it struggled to maintain large military forces overseas, especially in a conflict zone saturated with violence.
The Intensification of the Jewish Struggle: After the war and the Holocaust, the Jewish community in the Land became more determined in its struggle for independence. The Jewish Resistance Movement, which united the Haganah, the Irgun (Etzel), and Lehi, waged a military struggle against the Mandate authorities. Actions like the King David Hotel bombing in Jerusalem (July 1946) exacted a heavy price from the British and made clear to them the cost of continued rule.
nternational Pressure: World public opinion, and particularly pressure from the United States, leaned towards supporting the establishment of a Jewish state, partly due to the fate of Holocaust survivors.
Transferring the Question to the UN: In February 1947, after all compromise attempts failed, British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin announced that Britain was unable to solve the conflict and was transferring the "Question of Palestine" to the United Nations (UN) for a decision.
The Partition Plan and the Declaration of the State: On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, the "Partition Plan," which called for the termination of the Mandate and the establishment of two states, Jewish and Arab, in the Land of Israel. Britain abstained from the vote and announced it would end the Mandate on May 15, 1948. Immediately after the resolution was passed, the War of Independence broke out. On May 14, 1948, the day before the official end of the Mandate, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel.
June 30, 1948 - The Final Day of Departure
After the declaration of the state on May 14, the British did not leave all at once. They evacuated their forces gradually, maintaining a military "enclave" in the Haifa and port area to allow for an orderly evacuation of all their forces and equipment.
What Happened on That Day:
The British Ceremony: On the morning of June 30, 1948, a brief and modest British military ceremony was held on a quay in Haifa Port. The last High Commissioner, General Sir Alan Cunningham, reviewed an honor guard. The Union Jack flag was lowered from the mast for the last time, and a military band played the British national anthem, "God Save the King." Afterward, Cunningham boarded the Royal Navy cruiser 'HMS Euryalus,' and the last British ships sailed from the port, away from the shores of Israel. The ceremony was an internal British affair; no official representatives of the young State of Israel were invited.
What Happened Immediately After
Events unfolded in a flash:
Israeli Takeover of the Port: The moment the last ship left the territorial waters, forces of the Israeli Navy (which had just been established) entered Haifa Port and took full control. The Israeli flag was hoisted on the port's main flagpole in place of the British flag, in a ceremony attended by Mayor Abba Hushi and senior officers. The capture of Haifa Port, which was the most central and modern port in the country, was a tremendous strategic achievement for the young State of Israel, which was fighting for its life.
The Following Days: The British departure occurred during the first truce of the War of Independence. However, the truce was fragile, and both sides were preparing to resume fighting. The departure of British forces removed the last buffer, and Israel now had complete freedom of action (and full responsibility) in all state territories under its control. About a week later, on July 9, 1948, the fighting resumed in full force with the "Ten Days' fighting," during which the IDF expanded the territories under the state's control and captured central cities like Lod and Ramla.
June 30, 1948, was the day the last physical presence of the British Empire in the Land of Israel came to an end. As of 77 years ago today, there was no longer a single British soldier on the country's soil. It was a symbolic moment, in the midst of a difficult war, that allowed the young State of Israel to take control of a vital strategic asset and focus entirely on its war for survival.
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