On November 29, 1947, the land was divided between the Jews and the Arabs according to a United Nations resolution. The Arabs, who refused to accept the resolution, launched a war. On the eve of the War of Independence there were approximately 100,000 Jews living in Jerusalem out of a countrywide total of 600,000 Jews. As the Arabs besieged the city, great efforts were made to prevent its fall, out of the realization of Jerusalem’s special status and its importance to the steadfastness of the entire Jewish community.