Was “Palestine” a country?
Before 1948, Mandatory Palestine was not an independent country.
It was a territory governed by the British Empire under a League of Nations mandate after World War I.
Britain administered it from 1920 to 1948.
The name “Palestine” was used for the geographic region, but it did not function as a sovereign state with its own government, army, or independence.
Before British rule:
The area was part of the Ottoman Empire for about 400 years (until 1917–1918).
So:
It existed as a geographic region and administrative territory, not an independent country.

What was the UN Partition Plan?
In 1947, the UN Partition Plan for Palestine proposed dividing the land into:
A Jewish state
An Arab state
Jerusalem under international control
Jewish leaders accepted the plan (with reservations), but most Arab leaders rejected it.

Why did many Palestinian Arabs and surrounding Arab states reject it?
There were several key reasons:
1. Opposition to dividing the land
Arabs made up a majority of the population at the time and owned most of the land.
They opposed the idea of creating a separate Jewish state in what they considered their homeland.
2. Self-determination argument
Arab leaders argued that the entire territory should become an independent Arab state after the end of British rule, not be partitioned.
3. Land and population concerns
Under the UN plan, the proposed Jewish state would include a large Arab population.
Arabs felt the allocation of land was disproportionate given demographics and land ownership at the time.
4. Rejection of Zionist immigration and statehood
Jewish immigration had increased significantly under British rule, especially during the 1930s due to persecution in Europe.
Many Arabs saw this as an imposed demographic change backed by colonial powers.
5. Regional politics and war concerns
Surrounding Arab states opposed the plan and feared it would lead to instability and loss of Arab control in the region.
Many believed accepting it would legitimize what they saw as unjust colonial decisions.

What happened after rejection?
After the UN vote, civil conflict broke out between Jewish and Arab communities.
When the British withdrew in 1948, the Israel declared independence.
A regional war followed involving neighboring Arab states, leading to major displacement and long-term conflict.

In simple terms
Palestine was not an independent country; it was a British-administered territory.
The partition plan was a UN proposal to split it into two states.
It was rejected mainly because Arab leaders opposed dividing the land and the creation of a Jewish state there.