The balfour declaration and the palestine mandate, 19171923. In fact, palestinian president mahmoud abbas would like to sue britain over this letter. The making of the balfour declaration palestinian return centre. Ethiopianisraeli soldiers receive independence day letters from relatives left behind. Encyclopedia of jewish and israeli history, politics and culture, with biographies, statistics, articles and documents on topics from antisemitism to zionism. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia, the. The territory remained under british control, but on the other hand the arabs were promised independence of the region. The balfour declaration was the first major political triumph of zionism and the culmination of jewish independent political activity until that time. In this letter of 2 november 1917, britains foreign secretary, arthur balfour, wrote to lord lionel walter rothschild, as a figurehead of the jewish community in. The hidden history of the balfour declaration on jstor.
The balfour declaration led the league of nations to entrust the united kingdom with the palestine mandate in 1922. The forgotten truth about the balfour declaration pdf scholars at. Dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to you. Balfour declaration 1926 page 4 of 14 defined by the government of india act, 1919.
On 2 november 1917, british foreign secretary arthur balfour wrote a letter to walter rothschild, a leading figure in the british jewish community, expressing the governments support for a jewish homeland in palestine. The middle east and north africa in world politics, a documentary record. On november 2, 1917 a letter was delivered by hand from britains foreign secretary, lord balfour, to lionel walter, the second baron rothschild, at his home at 148 piccadilly, a prestigious. The contents of this letter became known as the balfour declaration. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national. The president and congress of the united states underwrote the world war i deal, which would cost britain mightily and which continues to cost.
The balfour declaration was the british governments pledge to help the jewish community build a national home in palestine and took the form of a letter penned on 2 november 1917 by british foreign minister lord balfour to lord rothschild, then serving bicom briefing the balfour declaration. On november 2, 1917, a century ago, arthur james balfour, the british foreign secretary, conveyed the following pledge in a public. 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. Sahar huneidi reexamines the historical context of the 1917 balfour declaration and argues that the document was a work of calculated ambiguity. 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. The balfour declaration wis a single paragraph in a letter datit 2 november 1917 frae the unitit kinricks furrin secretar arthur james balfour tae walter rothschild, 2nt baron rothschild, a leader o the breetish jewish commonty, for transmission tae the zionist federation o great breetain an ireland. The balfour declaration appeared to be in stark contradiction to american president woodrow wilsons fourteen points, a statement of principles for peace which became the blueprint for postwar peace negotiations, and the joint declaration issued by the british and french governments on 8 november 1918, in which they assured the peoples. And then when the british issued their outline for how palestine would be governed, the contents of the balfour declaration were found in the league of nations july 1922 ratification. Declaracao balfour 1917 wikipedia, a enciclopedia livre. After discussions within the cabinet and consultations with jewish leaders, the decision was made public in a letter from british foreign secretary lord arthur james balfour to lord walter rothschild. Nov 02, 2017 just five weeks after issuing the balfour declaration, on december 9, 1917, with the help of the arab forces, britain captured jerusalem.
Rashid khalidi, columbia university united nations. The c ommitment to jewish homeland came more than a month before general edmund. On november 2, 1917, lord balfour of great britain wrote a letter promising a jewish home to the jewish people in the land of palestine. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the. Palestine was, at the time, a remote province in the disintegrating ottoman. After discussions in the british cabinet, and consultation with zionist leaders, the decision was made known in the form of a letter by arthur james lord balfour to. The balfour declaration of 1917 my jewish learning. 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. The balfour declaration of 1917 history learning site. Foreign office november 2nd, 1917 dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in.
We ask great britain, as we approach 100 years since this infamous declaration, to draw. Balfour declaration synonyms, balfour declaration pronunciation, balfour declaration translation, english dictionary definition of balfour declaration. What was the balfour declaration of 1917 and why is it. Jun 11, 2018 the balfour declaration was a november 2, 1917 letter from british foreign secretary arthur james balfour to lord rothschild that made public the british support of a jewish homeland in palestine. 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 november 2nd, 1917. The balfour declaration, november 1917 introduction one of the most important statements of british foreign policy of the twentieth century, the balfour declaration was no more than a short, vague letter that had no legal status. As the peel commission remarked, when the british army invaded palestine in the autumn of 1917, the arabs, a few thousand of whom had been trained as a regular force, operated beyond the jordan on the outer. 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. News of the balfour declaration reached palestine only with much delay after november 2, 1917. The balfour declaration 2 november 1917 hurewitz, j. All local newspapers had been shuttered since the beginning of the war. November 2, 1917 the british government decided to endorse the establishment of a jewish home in palestine.
We would, nevertheless, recall that by resolution ix of the imperial war conference, 1917, due recognition was given to the important position held by india in the british commonwealth. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly u. This year is the centennial of one of the most criminal acts in modern history. The declaration also said that britain supported plans for a jewish homeland in palestine. The issuance of the declaration had many long lasting consequences, and was a key moment in the lead. The article sets the balfour declaration of 1917 and the final. The declaration came in a letter that british foreign secretary arthur james balfour sent to lord rothschild lionel walter rothschild, the honorary. 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. The infamous balfour declaration and the 1947 partition. The british government decided to endorse the establishment of a jewish home in palestine. Text of the balfour declaration jewish virtual library. The balfour declaration posted on november, 2016 by admin it is no exaggeration that the history of israelpalestine for the last hundred years has turned on the seminal balfour declaration of november 1917. The issuance of the declaration had many long lasting consequences, and was a key moment in the leadup to the arabisraeli conflict. Zionist jews sanction to populate palestine the british government first had contact with the zionist movement 1 in 1902, but the first murmurings about the idea of the restoration of the jews to.
It declared the united kingdom and the dominions to be. The prominent jewish intellectual ar thur koestler, repeating a. In 1917 the balfour declaration was put into play, and was an agreement drafted by the british in attempt to create a jewish homeland in palestine. May 26, 2015 the balfour declaration was a short letter by arthur balfour to arguably one of the most influential jewish families the rothschilds. The balfour declaration was a letter dated 2 november 1917 from the united kingdoms foreign secretary arthur james balfour to walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. 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. 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.
Just before israel became a state, it was ruled by the british empire. The balfour declaration was a november 2, 1917 letter from british foreign secretary arthur james balfour to lord rothschild that made public the british support of a jewish homeland in palestine. The balfour declaration november 2, 1917 during the first world war, british policy became gradually committed to the idea of establishing a jewish home in palestine eretz yisrael. Undoubtedly, the balfour declaration sowed the seeds of the political. Library special balfour declaration, 1917 on november 2, 1917, foreign secretary arthur james balfour wrote a letter to britains most illustrious jewish citizen, baron lionel walter rothschild, expressing the british governments support for a jewish homeland in palestine. Dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to. Here was the worlds foremost muslim power mirroring the british governments recognition in the november 1917 balfour declaration of the jewish right to national revival in palestine, something that many muslim states refuse to acknowledge to date. 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.
Dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of his majestys government, the following declaration of sympathy with jewish zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the cabinet. The balfour declaration, november 1917 the balfour project. By late 1917, in the lead up to the balfour declaration, the. Balfour declaration, statement on november 2, 1917, of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for jewish people. For 100 years the british statement, which inaugurated zionisms legitimation in the eyes of the world, has been seen as the isolated act of a single nation. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government 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 minority jewish population around 35% of the total. The influence of the balfour declaration on the course of postwar events was immediate. The declaration came in a letter that british foreign secretary arthur james balfour sent to lord rothschild lionel walter rothschild, the honorary president of the zionist federation of great. Hence, the jewishzionist dichotomy that balfour visualised in 1917.
Nov 09, 2017 on november 2, 1917 a letter was delivered by hand from britains foreign secretary, lord balfour, to lionel walter, the second baron rothschild, at his home at 148 piccadilly, a prestigious. 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. Background to the declaration the balfour declaration was the jewish. Pdf balfour declaration, a century later researchgate. The content of the balfour d eclaration seems distant or downright ba. According to the mandate system created by the versailles treaty of 1919, britain was entrusted with. Feb 22, 2020 by late 1917, in the lead up to the balfour declaration, the wider war had reached a stalemate, with two of britains allies not fully engaged. Balfour declaration of 1917 jsource the workers circle. James balfour, the british foreign secretary, conveyed the following pledge in a public letter to a. Balfour declaration definition of balfour declaration by. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia.
The balfour declaration of 1917 was a policy by the government of the united kingdom to discuss the partitioning of the ottoman empire after world war i. 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. The land of palestine was ruled by many nations over the ages. Oct 30, 2019 the influence of the balfour declaration on the course of postwar events was immediate. Comprising a single paragraph, the text became known as the balfour declaration. The balfour declaration was a short letter by arthur balfour to arguably one of the most influential jewish families the rothschilds. It was this deliberate openness that allowed the british government, years later, to reshape its meaning, and even the history of its drafting, to support specific foreign policy ends. Nov, 2016 the balfour declaration posted on november, 2016 by admin it is no exaggeration that the history of israelpalestine for the last hundred years has turned on the seminal balfour declaration of november 1917. Dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to you, on. The balfour declaration was discussed at the 1919 paris peace conference and again when the future of the middle east was ratified in the 1920 san remo treaty. The consequences of that letter, the balfour declaration of 1917, still reverberate around the world 99 years later.
1559 1034 1546 420 433 331 489 1216 445 949 1310 1027 1065 320 171 370 319 430 1505 118 449 191 462 607 262 1452 1168 1148 480 256 1388 202 950 42 940 62