Question

Why was the UN deciding the division of Palestine (creating the state of Israel)?

Answer 1

The British were leaving and the UN were left to make a decision on the matter.

Explanation:

The Holy land was a deemed a special area when the British and French divided up the Middle East after World War 1. The Area was "given" to the League of Nations who had the British administrate it.

This was in anticipation of religious conflict between the religious groups involved. Christians (Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants of various sects), Muslims (Sunni, Shia, and others) and Jews (including Reformed and Orthodox) all have holy sites all needing security and way of communicating to allow religious rites to peacefully take place.

At the end of World War 2 the United Nations took over the role of the League of Nations. The British were both deeply in debt and at the end of there ability to maintain peace in the area. The British were leaving and someone had to take over. The British had promised a National homeland to the Jews during World War 1. They had also promise independence to the Arabs. The creation of Israel got traction at the United Nations and won the vote. The Arab-Israeli wars began and haven't really stopped.