The Balfour Declaration was a public statement issued by the British government during World War I.
It was formally a letter dated 2nd November 1917 from the British Foreign Secretary, [[Arthur Balfour]], to Lord Walter Rothschild, a prominent figure in the British Jewish community and a leader in the British Zionist Federation. The letter expressed sympathy for Jewish Zionist aspirations.
The core statement of the declaration was that "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 also included a significant caveat: "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".
Lord Walter Rothschild's relative wrote the first draft of what became the declaration and was also its recipient - the document as a "receipt for land in Palestine that the British don't own but they're going to sign away to a Zionist organization" and a "receipt for a transaction".
Lionel Walter Rothschild, representing the British branch of the Rothschild family (see Rothschilds), is highlighted as holding political influence and being the recipient, making his branch instrumental in developing long-term Zionist infrastructure.
The Rothschild family's involvement in Jewish colonisation in Palestine is stated to have begun in the 1880s and spanned into the 20th century. Edmund de Rothschild of France began supporting Jewish settlements in 1882, funding colonies and transferring assets to the Jewish Colonization Association (JCA).
This historical involvement, starting in the 1800s, influenced the events leading up to the establishment of Israel. The family's role extends to financing significant institutions like the Knesset (Israel's capital building) and having a burial site in Israel, with a Baron Rothschild even appearing on currency.
Context and British Motivations
The declaration was issued while British Allied troops were advancing on Palestine, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. It followed secret agreements among the Allies regarding the post-war Middle East, notably the [[Sykes-Picot]] Agreement of 1916 between Britain and France.
This agreement planned to divide Arab lands of the Ottoman Empire, placing historic Palestine under International Administration. Some British officials, including Mark Sykes himself, felt Sykes-Picot was a "bad deal" and had not adequately protected British interests, wishing instead to secure Palestine for themselves.
The British saw the Zionist movement as a potential partner, viewing support for Zionism as a way to justify an adjustment to the Sykes-Picot terms. They aimed to use the Jewish national movement to secure Palestine for Britain, framing it not out of self-interest but as advancing a "great historic ideal".
Carroll Quigley, suggests the motivations of the Milner Group, involved in drafting the declaration, were more complex, based on "academic considerations" rather than strategy or economics. They were neither strictly pro-Arab nor pro-Zionist, though slightly tending to support the latter.
Concerns were raised within this group about the potential unfairness to the Arabs and the risk of alienating them from the Western world. Some members believed the arrangement could be mutually beneficial and serve as an outpost for the Anglo-American Establishment.
Drafting and Negotiation
The declaration went through several drafts. The language was deliberately chosen, using "national home" rather than "state". While some Zionist leaders initially wanted the terminology of a Jewish state, they accepted "national home" as a necessary first step, planning to advance their cause later. Early Zionist drafts referred to Palestine "in its entirety" for a Jewish entity, but these were modified. The terminology "Jewish race" was also used in some British drafts but later removed, seen as revealing how British officials understood Jews as a racial group wielding power. Notably, the existing Arab population was not named directly in the declaration, only referred to as the "existing non-jewish communities in Palestine".
Key figures involved in negotiating with the British included Chaim Weizmann, a chemist and prominent, well-connected member of the British Zionist movement, seen by Mark Sykes as the most important Zionist. Nahum Sokolow emerged as a lead diplomat for Zionism, tasked with persuading the French about the seriousness of Zionism and the need for British prominence in Palestine. Other significant figures included Herbert Samuel, a Jewish minister receptive to Zionism, and Mark Sykes, who sought to incorporate Zionism into British planning for Palestine.
There was opposition from within the British government, notably from Edwin Montagu, a Jewish Secretary of State, who saw the declaration as anti-semitic and negotiated changes, including the caveat about protecting the rights of existing non-Jewish communities and Jews in other countries. Lord Curzon, a member of the War Cabinet, raised concerns about the potential impact on the Palestinian Arab population, noting they owned the soil and would not be content to be expropriated or serve the immigrants, but his remarks were disregarded. One source claims Lord Milner, rather than Balfour, was the "actual Craftsman" and chief supporter of the declaration within the War Cabinet.
Legacy and Impact
Following World War I, Britain was granted a mandate for Palestine by the five colonial powers. The British government and the Zionist movement ensured the wording of the Balfour Declaration was included in the mandate, which is stated to have made it international law and a legal obligation for Britain.
The British Mandate facilitated Jewish immigration to Palestine, automatically granting immigrants Palestinian passports. This immigration, coupled with the changing demographics, and Nazi Germany's focus on Jews, increased resentment and the already high levels of anti_Jew sentiment in Arab communities. Despite the caveat in the declaration about protecting the rights of the existing non-Jewish communities, this commitment was not upheld.
The declaration is seen as having set in motion a series of events that highlighted deep flaws, eventually leading to the British recognising a rivalry between incompatible national movements: Jewish and Palestinian Arab. The Peel Commission in 1937 proposed partition as a solution, seen as an admission of the declaration's failure.
While Britain is stated to have not promised statehood, the vast majority of Zionists came to expect it. Following the 1939 White Paper restricting immigration, Zionist institutions that had previously cooperated with the British launched a "secret war" against them, involving paramilitary groups like the Hagana, Irgun, and Lehi.
This conflict, including events like the King David Hotel bombing, ultimately led to the Jewish Agency leadership deciding that independence was their only viable answer.
When the British Mandate ended on 14th May 1948, the formation of the state of Israel was announced, justified by the terms of the Balfour Declaration. While Israelis celebrate this event, for Palestinians, the declaration represents a moment when an imperial power promised their land away to another people.