The main goal of the balfour declaration as far as britain was concerned was to reduce the opposition of the american jewish community to going to war on its side. The balfour declaration was sent as a 67word statement contained within the short letter addressed to the british foreign secretary, lord arthur balfour on november 2, 1917. Britain should work to correct the errors of balfour. The balfour declarations century of turmoil consortiumnews. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government in 1917 during the first world war announcing support for the establishment of a national home for the jewish people in palestine, then an ottoman region with a small minority jewish population. For the jews, it was a promisory note on which the british made good. In 1917, with a few paragraphs and a stroke of his pen, the british foreign minister, lord balfour, unleashed historic forces. Our readers rely on us for the most comprehensive, analytical coverage of news from the middle east, muslim countries, europe, and the united states. It committed britain to supporting the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people, and its reverberations continue to be felt to this day. This brilliant and groundbreaking study of international relations in the middle east during world war i traces the complex course of events that led to the balfour declaration in 1917. Memo hosts palestine, britain and the balfour declaration.
Oct 30, 2019 the influence of the balfour declaration on the course of postwar events was immediate. The declaration stated unequivocally the british governments support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. What were the effects of the balfour declaration answers. It was made in a letter from the british foreign secretary to a leader of the anglojewish community and was later included in the british mandate over palestine. The balfour declaration destroyed palestine, not the. This commitment was contained in the balfour declaration, a 1917 document of the british government. One of the results of this meeting, held in san remo italy, was the enshrining of the balfour declaration into international law with the allies giving britain a mandate to lead palestine towards independence in line with the wording of balfour s famed.
Among the reasons the declaration was written as a letter to lord rothschild was also the consideration that the rothschild familys connections with jewish financiers in new york would aid in this mission. This month we mark two anniversaries of momentous events in the history of zionism and the state of israel. The british government should apologize for the balfour declaration of november 2, 1917. In fact, britain assisted the zionists as best it could, given the need.
But most problematic of all was the caveat that such promise would not prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing nonjewish communities. As palestinians mourn their nakba, the uk must acknowledge its responsibility ahmad samih khalidi next year is the 100th anniversary of the balfour declaration. Theyre right in their demand britain should apologize. Hostility between palestinians and jews continued to grow. We are entirely serious about the issue of the balfour declaration. Bernard regan s the balfour declaration adds to this library, tending to be within an academic political presentation. Should britain apologize for the balfour declaration. To be concise, it was a political maneuver by the british, the ottoman empire and the arabs in an attempt to protect their own empires. What later became the conventional wisdom on the subject was first laid out by leonard stein in 1961 in his masterly survey the balfour declaration. It declared the united kingdom and the dominions to be. The contested centenary of britains calamitous promise.
A thoughtful, balanced essay on an interminable conflict plus. Issued on november 2, 1917 by great britain, the declaration gave international recognition to the zionist movement and promised them a jewish state in the land of palestine. Britains 1917 balfour declaration global researchglobal. In english and arabic books on the balfour declaration, one of the commonest narratives is that the zionist movement managed to secure british support through intelligent and strategic lobbying of. The balfour declaration great britain grants a homeland to the homeless jews. Oct 24, 2016 christian influence on the balfour declaration is significant. The balfour rothschild declaration peace is our true nature. In britain itself opinions about the balfour declaration remained sharply divided long after the end of the palestine mandate. On saturday 18th march, liberal democrat friends of palestine ldfp held a fringe event about the balfour declaration at their spring conference in york.
The balfour declaration was the result of a gentlemans agreement in which zionists promised to bring the u. Jonathan immanuels new book with meticulous attention to detail, and in highly readable style, immanuel proceeds to. The declaration was quite simply just a letter from the foreign secretary arthur balfour to lord lionel walter rothschild, a jewish banker, which was made public in november 1917 for the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. Our readers rely on us for the most comprehensive, analytical coverage of news from the middle east, muslim. Despite the document initially having no legal legitimacy zionists consider the balfour declaration their. The balfour declaration, so called after the british foreign secretary lord arthur balfour, who published it on november 2, 1917, was one of the most portentous documents in world history, whose consequences are still being played out today and not only in the arabisraeli conflict. Jan 03, 2012 winner of the national jewish book award issued in london in 1917, the balfour declaration was one of the key documents of the twentieth century. Great britains balfour declaration a century ago laid the groundwork for a zionist state in the middle east and led to the purging of millions of palestinians from what became israel, a. We wont apologize for the balfour declaration british prime minister theresa may delivered a very strong speech in support of the jewish state and the role her country had in. Lord arthur balfours declaration to lord walter rothschild was problematic at the time for the reason that britain had yet to obtain custodianship of palestine in succession to its ottoman rulers. Christian influence on the balfour declaration of 1917. The declaration was contained in a letter dated 2november 1917 from the united kingdoms. The longterm effects of the balfour declaration, and the british governments involvement in palestinian affairs, are felt even today.
Israel gained contr of jerusalem, golan heights, sinai peninsula, and the west bank. Palestine, the balfour declaration and why america entered. The subtitle of jonathan schneers book the balfour declaration is the origins of the arab israeli conflict. Uk foreign secretary arthur balfours declaration came in a 67word letter to british zionist federations lord rothschild. Palestine zionism, britain and balfour marking the 100th anniversary of the infamous balfour declaration, comrade harpal brar outlines the true history of the origins of zionism. With the 100th anniversary of the balfour declaration, a number of books have been published covering the topic in different ways. The balfour declaration was a letter written by british foreign secretary arthur balfour to lionel walter rothschild, in which he expressed the british governments support for a jewish homeland in palestine. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. By this declaration the british lodged their support in favor of establishing an independent. Obviously, the complicated wording of the balfour declaration and the mandate put britain in an impossible position. On november 5, 1917, lord arthur james balfour, the foreign secretary of great britain who was also the prime minister during 190205 signed the death warrant of the palestinians by announcing the declaration that takes his name as the balfour declaration that paved the way to create the state of israel on. Nov 02, 2017 t oday we mark the centenary of the calamitous balfour declaration.
Britains secret reassessment of the balfour declaration. The balfour declaration was a letter written by british foreign secretary arthur balfour to lionel walter rothschild, in which he expressed the british government s support for a jewish homeland in. Ultimately, the british came out as losers on both counts. As the time passes, i think british people are forgetting about the lessons of history, says palestinian education minister sabri saidam. This book is about the fall of the two historys largest empires, the ottoman and the british empire. Bernard regans the balfour declaration adds to this library, tending to be within an academic political presentation.
A more general background of historical knowledge would be helpful in accessing this work while it tends to work chronologically, it also winds through themes across time lines. Bernard regan has produced a timely and well researched analysis of the balfour declaration of november 1917. Uk foreign secretary arthur balfour s declaration came in a 67word letter to british zionist federations lord rothschild. Eighty years ago, the british governmentthrough international bankersbrokered away the land and the future of the people of palestine in order to create a national home for the jewish people.
Introduction the arabisraeli conflict that takes place in palestine to this day is long battle fought for years all over the world. It was made in a letter from arthur james balfour, the british foreign secretary, to lionel walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild of tring, a leader of british jewry. In his acknowledgements, regan writes that his academic undertaking becomes a hopefully more accessible publication. The statement came in the form of a letter from britain s then foreign secretary, arthur balfour, addressed to lionel walter rothschild, a figurehead of the british jewish community.
Balfour declaration, november 2, 1917, statement of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. The balfour declaration dated 2 november 1917 was a letter from the united kingdoms foreign secretary arthur james balfour to baron rothschild walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. The balfour declaration of 1926, issued by the 1926 imperial conference of british empire leaders in london, was named after lord president of the council and former prime minister of the united kingdom arthur balfour. But not because the british favored zionism over the rights of the palestinians, as both cheerleaders and critics of balfour. For more than 37 years, the washington report on middle east affairs has been essential reading for the nations most sophisticated populace. The balfour declaration committed britain to promoting a jewish national home in palestine, a project being urged by the world zionist organization, a jewish group based in europe. Britains true motivation behind the balfour declaration. The balfour declaration laid the foundation for jewisharab enmity that is now posing a major threat to the world peace. The palestinian foreign minister said that the ball is now in the court of the british, but that if they continue to ignore the palestinian demands, the palestinian authority may opt for legal action against britain. Britain s 1939 white paper revoked the balfour declaration and declared palestine offlimits to all but a trickle of jewish refugeesjust before the extermination commenced. The 1917 balfour declaration was a commitment made in the heat of battle as the british empire fought for its life.
In 1917, the balfour declaration committed the british to the it all sounds like such a wonderful and beneficent action from countries concerned about the future of those people in the diaspora. Balfour declaration, statement on november 2, 1917, of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for jewish people. Oct 07, 2017 memo hosts palestine, britain and the balfour declaration 100 years on middle east monitor hosted an allday conference in london to commemorate and understand the repercussions of the balfour. The balfour declaration is an embarrassing reminder that a jewish state was the fruit of a transparently colonial project. Aug 22, 2010 the balfour declaration thus finds its place among a multitude of fruitless schemes and indulgent fantasies, except, of course, that in this case, surprisingly, the british by and large kept their. Parallel histories has launched a balfour film competition for schools to make a 2 minute film to address the question, should britain be praised or blamed for the balfour declaration. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle. The most violent and wellknown area for this conflict is in palestine with the fighting between israel, and gaza. The balfour declaration was a public pledge by britain, declaring its aim to establish a national home for the jewish people in palestine. Isaiah friedman offers an original and authoritatively documented reassessment of many crucial and controversial issues relating to the question of palestine, issues that have bedevilled middle. This book isnt about that conflict, nor is it really about the balfour declaration. The answer is that britain and the arab middle east has little to do with lawrence of arabia. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government in 1917 during world war i announcing support for the establishment of a national home for the jewish people in palestine, then an ottoman region with a small minority jewish population. A variety of strategic factors, such as securing jewish support in eastern europe while the russian front collapsed, culminated in the 1917 balfour declaration in which britain promised to create and foster a jewish national home in palestine.
Even if the balfour declaration made no sense, ran cavendishs reasoning, britain had made a commitment, first to jewry with the issuance of the declaration, then to the league of nations when it incorporated the declaration into the palestine mandate. Universal history archiveuiggetty israels parliament, the knesset, will hold a special session honouring balfour, while british immigrants to the. It had to advance the building of a national home for jews in palestine without harming the rights of the arab population, whose positions were increasingly nationalistic. This year is the centennial of one of the most criminal acts in modern history.
The conclusion implicit in the narrative, however, is. Winner of the national jewish book award issued in london in 1917, the balfour declaration was one of the key documents of the twentieth century. Nov 01, 2017 the balfour declaration didnt enjoy universal support within the british establishment at the time it was issued, and later actions such as britains 1939 white paper could be seen as. Three years after the famous balfour declaration, the postww1 allies met to decide what to do with the conquered ottoman empire. November 2 marks its 100th anniversary, a deplorable action, the beginning of the end of historic palestine. The origins of the arabisraeli conflict, jonathan schneer 78gsas, a professor of history at georgia tech who specializes in modern britain, has put together a mass of material to decipher how the british got themselves and many others into a longdrawn mess. As is well known, the balfour declaration is a short statement signed by britains foreign secretary alfred balfour in november 1917 and addressed to the head of the british branch of the rothschilds, in which he pledges the support of the british government to the zionist goal of establishing a jewish state in palestine, or, as arthur koestler famously stated, was an. The reality contains invaluable historical information about the genesis and significance of the balfour declaration in 1917, and some startling revelations about the actions of. By 1917, when the balfour declaration the declaration was published, zionism had crossparty support in britain as well as government backing in france, america, and other countries, while the pending defeat of the ottoman empire which had controlled that geographic area for the previous four hundred years provided an opportunity. Reflections on a refugees story, my greatgrandfathers war diary and the legacy of britains actions in palestine.
The balfour declaration balfour s promise in arabic was a public pledge by britain in 1917 declaring its aim to establish a national home for the jewish people in palestine. Regans balfour declaration provides a good summary overview of british imperial actions and intentions within the period between ww i to just before ww ii. Palestine, the balfour declaration and why america entered the great war by john cornelius in an earlier article 1 i set forth my view that, 80 years after the event, there is still no satisfactory explanation as to why, on nov. Following the arab revolt of 19361939, the arab world won a major victory from the british, who were anxiously anticipating the coming world war. The balfour declaration washington report on middle east. According to the mandate system created by the versailles treaty of 1919, britain was entrusted with. A century on from balfour, i challenge britain to finally do.
The balfour declaration thus finds its place among a multitude of fruitless schemes and indulgent fantasies, except, of course, that in this case, surprisingly, the british by and large kept their. Richard crossman argued passionately that balfour, lloyd george, and milner all felt under an obligation, in the moment of allied victory, to do something for oppressed world jewry. The balfour declaration this commitment was contained in the balfour declaration, a 1917 document of the british government. But the promise made by arthur james balfour in what became known as the balfour declaration to the leaders of the zionist jewish community in britain one hundred. Balfour declaration great britain israel palestinians. The infamous balfour declaration and the 1947 partition. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. The balfour declaration, issued through the continued efforts of chaim weizmann and nahum sokolow, zionist leaders in london, fell short of the expectations of the zionists, who had asked for the reconstitution of palestine as the jewish national home.
Despite the balfour declaration in support of the zionist project, the british never managed to break the will of the palestinian nation. A methodist hymn written by the famous wesley brothers in the 18th century contains the following verse, which epitomises their understanding of the importance of zionism in christian thinking. Due to the balfour declaration formed in 1917 by the british government, in cooperation with egypt, the area known as. There are only a few documents in middle eastern history which have as much influence as the balfour declaration. The balfour declaration dated 2 november 1917 was a letter from the united kingdoms foreign secretary arthur james balfour to baron rothschild walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain. Britain had also negotiated the sykespicot agreement to partition the middle east between britain and france. Britain issues the balfour declaration cause zionist leader suggesting to sir arthur balfour the balfour declaration effects failure. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Nov 02, 2017 they want britain to apologise for the balfour declaration. Together with nahum sokolow and walter rothschild, and to a lesser extent harry sacher, these few men managed to gain support of a slight majorty of british jews as well as critical persons in the british government. Issued on november 2, 1917 by great britain, the declaration gave international recognition to the zionist movement and promised them a. Nov 02, 2017 todaynovember 2, 2017great britain, israel, zionist jews across the planet and their supporters, will commemorate and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the balfour declaration, a major milestone in the international communitys recognition of the jewish peoples right to selfdetermination in the land of israel. He concludes that there was no machiavellian conspiracy.
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