The Jewish community of Palestine was small, poor, mostly centered in the cities. They never composed more than 5 o 6%. They owned little if any land, & so didn't interfere with or disrupt the economic or cultural life of the land.

Zionism in Palestine began in 1882 with the first Aliyah prompted by pogroms in Russia, Poland, the Ukraine, etc. Jews bought land, often from far off effendis who lived in Damascus or Beirut. This land had been worked by Arab fellahin for generations w/o reference to who actually owned it. The Jews sought to work the land themselves & so often expelled the fellahin, or put them on as wage workers.

This creation friction, understandably. But large scale violence against Jewish immigration didn't start until 1920 or so when the British Mandate overtook Palestine & Arabs learned of the Balfour Declaration. They feared total displacement. Perfectly understandable.

Jews continued to immigrate. Antisemitism in the interwar period was epidemic throughout much of Europe. When Nazism took hold the trickle became a flood. The Arabs fought even harder, while the Jews organized & armed, often with British training & arms. Finally the Arab Revolt of '37 cost the British a great deal to put down. Realizing war was returning to Europe Britain issued a White Paper in '39 restricting Jewish immigration & land sales, & calling for an Arab-majority state with a "protected" Jewish minority. Pretty much everything the Arabs wanted. This was the point many Zionists turned against the British (though a truce was called by most during the war).

Many Palestinians fought under British colors (as did Jews) but official Arab policy, per the Grand Mufti, was to side with the Nazis. Given the Mufti's continued status as the Palestinians' primary leader even after the war it's difficult to imagine how the Jews could imagine a state led by or participated with his leadership.