In Jerusalem, Count Folke Bernadotte was assassinated by members of the Lehi, an underground Zionist paramilitary group also referred to as the Stern Gang. Bernadotte, who had served as a UN mediator, was attempting to facilitate negotiations between Jews and Arabs in Palestine. His proposals included the contentious idea of allowing thousands of Arab refugees to return to their homes, a stance that was met with fierce opposition from certain Jewish nationalist groups, including the Lehi. On the day of his assassination, Bernadotte was in a car when he was approached by Lehi operatives and shot, resulting in his death within moments. The assassination was a significant blow to the efforts for peace in the region and highlighted the extreme tensions and divisions that existed in post-World War II Palestine. While the United Nations had hoped that Bernadotte's mediation would lead to a resolution, the act of violence demonstrated the challenges of negotiating peace amidst such hostility. Following the assassination, the Lehi group defended their actions by framing them as a necessary step towards ensuring the survival of the Jewish state, arguing that any compromises with Arab leaders would jeopardize their national aspirations. The aftermath resulted in an international outcry and condemnation of the assassination. The Israeli government, under David Ben-Gurion, was placed in a difficult position of distancing itself from radical factions like the Lehi, while simultaneously navigating the ongoing conflict. The incident further complicated the already precarious relations between Jews and Arabs in Palestine and impacted future diplomatic efforts. The assassination marked a pivotal moment in the violence of the period and illustrated the complexities of the emerging Israeli-Palestinian conflict.