#14489, Arthur BALFOUR

Balfour is known particularly for The Balfour Declaration which was issued by the Foreign Office on 2nd November 1917

Dear Lord Rothschild,

I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.

"His Majesty's 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 understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country."

I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.

Yours,
Arthur James Balfour

It was a statement by the Government of the United Kingdom supporting the creation of a national home for the Jewish People.  Its impact was profound and long-lasting.  By supporting Zionist efforts it encouraged Jewish migration to Palestine.  Palestinian Arabs opposed the declaration because it was issued without their consent.  This increased tensions between the two communities.  It led, after the war to the British governing Palestine under a League of Nations mandate.  It contributed to the creation of Israel in 1948 but is seen as one of the causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict which remains unresolved to this day.