The balfour declaration and a century of conflict in the. In 1917, the balfour declaration committed the british to the a book that needs to be read to provide some understanding of the establishment of a homeland for the jewish people as stated by british pm lloyd george. This is the most original exposition of the balfour declaration to date. About the book contained on a single page, the balfour declaration was sent by arthur balfour, the british foreign secretary, to lord rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, in november 1917. The balfour declaration acls history ebook project. His own assessment of the balfour declaration and the arabisraeli dispute can be found in his book a concise history of the arabs. The american balfour declaration tells the story of the first official u. The inside story of the balfour declaration 1917 1938 reprint by jeffries, j m n isbn.
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. Sahar huneidi reexamines the historical context of the 1917 balfour declaration and argues that. Schneer, a professor at georgia techs school of history. Foreign office november 2nd, 1917 dear lord rothschild, i have much pleasure in conveying to. In this lesson, well explore the balfour declaration and see how it. 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. The balfour declaration became the foundation of the international support for the establishment of the modern state of israel. Most books on the topic focus on the drafting history and maybe a little more on the drafters. The balfour declaration, as it came to be known, set in motion a series of events, entirely unforeseen by its authors, which shaped the modern world and continues to shape it. 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. The balfour declaration was the first time the british government endorsed the establishment of a national.
All those with an interest in the history of zionism in america will find this book to. The fathom essays features toby greene, elias zananiri, gershon shafir, azriel bermant, james sorene, efraim halevy, ronnie fraser, donna robinson devine and jonathan schneer, with a foreward by colin shindler. The creation of israel was one of the more significant moments in the 20th century, but there is a long history behind this. The balfour declaration is a statement published november 2, 1917 by british colonial secretary.
The balfour declaration is an historic statement for which hmg her majestys government does not intend to apologize. Balfour declaration international encyclopedia of the. The balfour declaration was the first major political triumph of zionism and the culmination of jewish independent political activity until that time. 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. The balfour declaration was a short letter by arthur balfour to arguably one of the most influential jewish families the rothschilds. Nov 02, 2017 the balfour declaration determined british policy under the league of nations mandate, which ultimately facilitated the ethnic cleansing of palestine.
Balfour declaration was one of historys greatest ever acts as we celebrate the centenary of the balfour declaration, the current earl of balfour commemorates the famous letter from arthur. 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. The poetic simplicity of the balfour declaration resides in its presumption that a home for the jews in their land needs no justification. The balfour declaration was hailed as the greate st event in the history of the jews since their dispersion. Conceived against a backdrop of the first world war, its midwives were an extraordinary cast of diplomats, scholars, soldiers and spies, arab insurgents and zionist zealots. Was the balfour declaration made by the british people through their elected parliament. The balfour declaration led the jewish community in britain and america into believing that great britain would support the creation of a jewish state in the middle east. He quotes miller, writing about one report on the history and impact of zionism. The longterm effects of the balfour declaration, and the british governments involvement in palestinian affairs, are felt even today. The balfour declaration of 1917 my jewish learning. Oct 27, 2017 balfour declaration was one of historys greatest ever acts as we celebrate the centenary of the balfour declaration, the current earl of balfour commemorates the famous letter from arthur.
However, i did not have the foundation for the formation of israel firmly in my mind. Balfour declaration, statement on november 2, 1917, of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for jewish people. As we proudly approach the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the balfour declaration on 2nd november, rabbi sacks has recorded a short video reflecting on what this declaration meant in 1917, and what it means for us today. 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. Supreme court justice louis brandeis played a key, hidden role. The balfour declaration, itself, is a letter from the british government to lord walter rothschild declaring support for a jewish settlement in palestine. The balfour declaration and a century of conflict in the middle east. Winner of the national jewish book awardissued in london in 1917, the balfour declaration was one of the key documents of the twentieth century. The balfour declaration provided me the understanding of zionism and how wwi led to the balfour declaration. On november 2, 1917, the british government expressed its sympathy with. It took the form of a letter from the foreign secretary of the government of his britannic majesty king george v, the largest empire the. A recent history and a concise history of sunnis and shiis. Expectations inside the jewish community in britain leaped like the proverbial salmon in the first few weeks of november 1917. 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.
The balfour declaration became the diplomatic foundation stone of the state of israel. Jonathan schneer, a member of the scholar strategy network, teaches modern british history at the georgia institute of technology. A fellow of the american council of learned societies in 198586, he has also held research fellowships at oxford and cambridge universities in the uk, as well as at the erich. 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.
The declaration also said that britain supported plans for a jewish homeland in palestine. A history of the balfour declaration and the birth of the. Issued in london in 1917, the balfour declaration was one of the key documents of the twentieth century. The history of the balfour declaration 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 hidden history of the balfour declaration on jstor. The history of israel documents the balfour declaration. Nov 02, 2017 jonathan schneer, a member of the scholar strategy network, teaches modern british history at the georgia institute of technology. What was the balfour declaration of 1917 and why is it significant. Balfour declaration first world war hidden history. Conventional wisdom has it that the balfour declaration was all about zionism, that british prime minister david lloyd george and arthur balfour were nice guys, zionists both whatever.
Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia, the. We offer this bibliography to readers, whatever their persuasion or level of interest, as a means of learning more about britains responsibilities in this situation. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia. The evolution of its final wording sheds light on the goals and agendas of political powers in their advocacy for definitions of nation. The balfour declaration was not proposed until the summer of 1917, well after the us had entered the war. O nehundred years ago today, the famousor infamousbalfour declaration was issued by the government of great britain. It read, in part, his majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. It should be noted at the time palestine had no definate borders. And the best book about the balfour declaration is the balfour. The balfour declaration, the document that set the stage for establishing the state of israel, was the product of months of wordsmithing and political jockeying.
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. Balfour declaration, november 2, 1917, statement of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. On november 2, 1917, foreign secretary arthur james balfour writes an important letter to britains most illustrious jewish citizen, baron lionel. I find middle east history to be a very fascinating subject.
Aug 01, 2011 this title states it is about the balfour declaration. More than 100 years since britains controversial pledge, here is everything you need to know about it. Fathom has published a new ebook to mark the 100 th anniversary of the balfour declaration, which you can download here. Before the 1917 mandate palestine was a backyard province of the ottoman empire and was under the control of the ottoman high commissioner sitting in damascus. The balfour declaration led the league of nations to entrust the united kingdom with the palestine mandate in 1922. The balfour declaration has all the makings of a classic. Balfour declaration was one of historys greatest ever acts. The hidden history of the balfour declaration or books. Balfour declaration as published in the times, 9 november 1917 the declaration represented the first public support for zionism by a major political power 237 its publication galvanized zionism, which finally had obtained an official charter. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. 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. It declared the united kingdom and the dominions to be. 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.
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. Arthur balfour, at center, in 1925, was an early convert to the idea that the jews might constitute more than a religious community. Nov 02, 2017 arthur balfour, at center, in 1925, was an early convert to the idea that the jews might constitute more than a religious community. The dark forces behind the balfour declaration and its. Jonathan schneer, a specialist in modern british history, is a professor at georgia techs school of history, technology, and society. The balfour declaration is one of the most defining moments in the uk and israels shared history and i am proud that the support britain gave for a jewish and democratic state brought to an end two millennia of jewish exile and persecution. On november 2nd 1917, arthur james balfour, the british foreign secretary of. During most of the 19th century this province made very little economic progress and. The infamous balfour declaration and the 1947 partition. Oct 31, 2017 the balfour declaration was the first time the british government endorsed the establishment of a national home for the jewish people in palestine. The declaration was written in a world of competing imperial powers, in the midst of the first world war and in the twilight.
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. History of the balfour declaration jewish virtual library. The pledge of the british governmentthe brief balfour declarationranks with the most extraordinary documents produced by any government in world history. If britain had indeed promised a jewish national home as part of a plot engineered by mythical elders of zion, the balfour declaration would not have had to go through a tortuous process of revision. It did not call into question the legitimacy of the state of israel, but sought to increase awareness of the palestinian plight, and the hundred years of suffering caused by the british governments failure to implement the final clause of balfours declaration. The inside story of the balfour declaration 19171938 reprint by jeffries, j m n isbn. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a. Balfour declaration letter written on november 2, 1917, foreign secretary arthur james balfour writes an important letter to britains most illustrious jewish citizen, baron lionel walter. The origins of the arabisraeli conflict, which won a national jewish book award in 2010. This title states it is about the balfour declaration. Issued in london in 1917, the balfour declaration was one of the key documents of the twentieth.
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. Arthur james balfour,arthur james earl of balfour 1848 1930, which states that great britain supports zionist plans of jewish settlement in palestine and the creation of a jewish national home there. We are proud of our role in creating the state of israel. The balfour declaration was the first time the british government endorsed the establishment of a national home for the jewish people. The balfour declaration of 2 november 1917 is commonly regarded as a seminal moment in the history of zionism, palestine and the middle east. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government in 1917. Dear lord rothschild these three words helped to change the course of modern jewish history and ultimately create the state of israel. While most people with basic knowledge about the conflict. And the best book about the balfour declaration is the. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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 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. Ori gins and consequences history, by james renton, senior lecturer in history at edge hill university, and an honorary research fellow at university college london. The territory remained under british control, but on the other hand the arabs were promised independence of the region. Parliaments and congresses may cobble some of the fabric of history, but its designs and the big decisions, even of democracies, are made by a very few people with special interests. 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. This book looks at the entire historical context and the story culminating into what has become known as the balf.
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. The balfour declaration of 1917 history learning site. 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 the anglojewish community. Nov 09, 2017 the balfour declaration why lord rothschild.
The issuance of the declaration had many long lasting consequences, and was a key moment in the leadup to the arabisraeli conflict, often referred to. Centenary of the balfour declaration matthew offord. 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. This year is the centennial of one of the most criminal acts in modern history. The true history of the imperial deal that transformed the middle east and sealed palestines fate. On 2 november 1917, the british government, represented by. Oct 24, 2017 the balfour declaration was the result of a gentlemans agreement in which zionists promised to bring the u. What was the balfour declaration of 1917 and why is it. The letter was published a week later in the times of london. Balfour declaration was one of historys greatest ever.
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