Everything seemed to be on track, but as balfour expert leonard stein notes, it would be more than three months until the first draft, which was drastically amended would. Arthur james balfour, 1st earl of balfour, kg, om, pc, frs, fba, dl. Rhett 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. Oct 24, 2017 the balfour declaration was the result of a gentlemans agreement in which zionists promised to bring the u. British antizionist jews reject the balfour declaration. Dear lord rothschild these three words helped to change the course of modern jewish history and ultimately create the state of israel. For example, edwin montague, the secretary of state for india, was a. The balfour declaration, november 1917 the balfour project. In fact, the one jewish member of parliament at the time, edwin montagu.
Jan 23, 2018 barbour summarizes jeffries conclusions, that the balfour declaration was forced through britains war cabinet by balfour and david lloyd george, the prime minister, in the absence of edwin montagu, then visiting india. Balfour declaration, statement on november 2, 1917, of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for jewish people. At both balfour apology campaign launches, and in almost every single article written on the subject, one jewish name is mentioned as often as weizmann or herzl, and that is montagu. Many of montagus objections would be reprised five decades later by. 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, the document that set the stage for.
This was followed in late august by edwin montagu, an influential antizionist jew and secretary of state for india, and the only. The idea for issuing the balfour declaration was clearly lloyd georges idea but lord balfour was in total agreement with him on the matter. The balfour declaration was a letter from british foreign secretary arthur james balfour to lord walter rothschild. The declaration was contained in a letter dated 2 november 1917 from the united kingdoms foreign secretary arthur. Memorandum of edwin montagu on the antisemitism of the present british. Most jews, and certainly most british jews, were far from being zionists in 1917.
The issuance of the declaration had many long lasting consequences, and was a key moment in the lead. On 20 august 1917, he made a historic declaration in the house of commons defining the. 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. After a whirlwind of diplomacy, the final draft of the balfour declaration is issued on oct. It promised that britain would aid in the creation of a national home for the jewish. Stein, a barrister, was political secretary of the world zionist organization from 1920 to 1929. Stating the british governments support for a jewish. The ruthless pogroms carried out by czarist russia against the jews caused a large exodus. Balfour declaration international encyclopedia of the first world war. Supreme court justice louis brandeis played a key, hidden role. Chaim weizmann the balfour declaration lesson plan central. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government in 1917. The balfour declaration led the league of nations to entrust the united kingdom with the palestine mandate in 1922.
Montagus opposition to zionism, which he called a mischievous political. The balfour rothschild declaration peace is our true nature. 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. Montagu, who also happened to be a jewish antizionist, was keenly aware of. The declaration was prepared after extensive consultation with zionists. The balfour declaration was a letter from lord arthur james balfour, british foreign secretary to lord rothschild, head of the british zionist movement, sent november 2, 1917. 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. This is the best that academic political history gets. The third milner draft shown here was dated august 4, 1917. The text itself is only a paragraph long, part of a letter from great britains foreign secretary arthur balfour 18481930 to lord walter lionel rothschild 18681937.
Balfour declaration international encyclopedia of the first. In document after document of the state papers which mrs ingrams has brought to light the sordid proof is revealed that balfour and his colleagues knew exactly what the zionists were up to and that, with the honourable exceptions of lord curzon and edwin montagu, they had every intention of helping them. The balfour declaration was a public pledge by britain, declaring its aim to establish a national home for the jewish people in palestine. On 23 august 1917, when the question of fraudulently giving the land of palestine to zionists was discussed in the commons what was to be known as the balfour declaration, the only jew in the cabinet in parliament that day was edwin samuel montagu. Memorandum of edwin montagu on the antisemitism of the present british government submitted to the british cabinet, august, 1917. Why the world needs to know about edwin s montagu islam21c. 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. Balfour declaration faqs what was the balfour declaration.
The balfour declaration this letter to lord rothschild, by the british foreign secretary arthur james balfour, was aimed at jewish support for the allies in the first world war. In fact, british zionists prepared drafts of the statement for the consideration of the british government. Edwin samuel montagu served as secretary of state for india between 1917 and 1922. Even more importantly, the outcomes of the balfour declaration were not just important to the history of the future state of israel and the palestinian people, but to the entire global community both in the era of world war one and today. Jul 21, 2015 montagu didnt just oppose the balfour declaration. Behind the balfour declaration britains great war pledge.
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. Montagus advocacy for tighter wording in any potential declaration was ultimately successful in at least establishing the rights of jews outside of. I have chosen the above title for this memorandum, not in any hostile sense, not by any means as quarrelling with an antisemitic view which may be held by my colleagues, not with a desire to deny that antisemitism can be held by rational men, not even with. 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. A clause was also added protecting the rights of existing non. The evolution of its final wording sheds light on the goals and agendas of political powers in their advocacy for definitions of nation. The letter was published a week later in the times.
Hence, the balfour declaration settled for the jewish and nonjewish. Behind the balfour declaration britains great war pledge to rothschild bankers this was the british governments promised payoff to the rotscgild bankers for their pressure on the usa to bail the brits out of world war 1, which the brits were losing. 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 palestine had surfaced some 60 years earlier. The balfour declaration has given rise to the notion, especially beloved by the left in both the west and the arab world, that zionism was a conspiracy between clever, devious jews and their imperialist partners. The statement came in the form of a letter from britains then foreign secretary, arthur balfour, addressed to lionel walter rothschild. It was the first statement of support by any government for zionist aspirations.
The balfour declaration was the result of a gentlemans agreement in which zionists promised to bring the u. Zionism, empire, and the balfour declaration dissent magazine. The balfour declaration the origins of the arabisraeli conflict. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the. The jewish refugees who had to be settled somewhere, sought to make a country for themselves.
Oct 22, 2011 edwin samuel montagu served as secretary of state for india between 1917 and 1922. According to the mandate system created by the versailles treaty of 1919, britain was entrusted with. After further discussion the cabinet duly agreed to this proposal and, on november 2, balfour issued his famous declaration in the form of a letter to lord rothschild stating that 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. Balfour and palestine, a legacy of deceit, by anthony. 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. Jonathan schneer anchor canada random house, toronto, 2012. Using the guidelines for analyzing a primary source document, have students answer the five major questions in their groups. Posted in 191520, documents tagged 1917, balfour declaration, lloyd george, lord curzon, lord milner, montagu, palestine, rothschild, war cabinet minutes, zionist movement comments off on war cabinet minutes leading to the balfour declaration, 1917. 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. 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. 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. Divide students into small groups and distribute the text of the balfour declaration. Apr 06, 2012 the balfour declaration the origins of the arabisraeli conflict. Montagu was the third british jew to enter the cabinet citation needed, the inner circle of government.
On november 2, 1917, james balfour, the british foreign secretary, issued what became known as the balfour declaration. The balfour declaration 1917 foreign office november 2nd, 1917 dear lord rothschild a french zionist, 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. Barbour summarizes jeffries conclusions, that the balfour declaration was forced through britains war cabinet by balfour and david lloyd george, the prime minister, in the absence of edwin montagu, then visiting india. The original text of the balfour declaration had read palestine should be reconstituted as the national home of the jewish people. It is the same day that british forces capture beersheba, the start of their southern palestine offensive. Balfour and lloyd george, for example, admitted in 1922 at a meeting with winston churchill and chaim weizmann, that the balfour declaration had always meant a jewish state. This was followed in late august by edwin montagu, an influential anti zionist jew and secretary of state for india, and the only jewish member of the. Edwin samuel montagu was the only jewish member of the british cabinet at the time. Edwin s montagu the jewish mp who opposed the balfour declaration. Like many british jews he was strongly antzionist, believing that an imposed jewish state in palestine would be unjust to the indigenous people and would also have the effect of weakening the claims of jews to british nationality. The influence of the balfour declaration on the course of postwar events was immediate. Declaration balfour introduction et texte reseau du. 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.
The balfour declaration, issued on 2 november 1917, is one of the most influential documents leading to the establishment of the state of israel. The repercussions of the issuance of the balfour declaration in 1917 are still visible in the world today. E rnest bevin, labours postwar foreign secretary, once told the zionist leader, david bengurion, that the balfour declaration of 1917 was the worst mistake in western foreign policy in the first. The letter, known as the balfour declaration became the basis movement to create a jewish state in palestine. Maxime rodinson, a jewishfrench scholar of the arab world.
Did jeremy corbyn claim balfour declaration was imposed by. Jun 27, 2009 e rnest bevin, labours postwar foreign secretary, once told the zionist leader, david bengurion, that the balfour declaration of 1917 was the worst mistake in western foreign policy in the first. 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. Lustick and others published the balfour declaration a century later.
It is now 100 years since the balfour declaration of 1917, a milestone event in the jewish movement for selfdetermination. Aug 17, 2017 stein, the balfour declaration new york. I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of his majestys government, the. 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. After montagu s attack, the text was changed to read the establishment in palestine of a home for the jewish people. The making of the balfour declaration palestinian return centre. Minister on december 6, 1916 and appointed a former prime minister alfred balfour foreign secretary who handled foreign affairs. After montagus attack, the text was changed to read the establishment in palestine of a home for the jewish people. Wartime contingency and the balfour declaration of 1917. The declaration also said that britain supported plans for a jewish homeland in palestine. Montagu declaration august declaration 1917 gktoday.
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. Oct 30, 2019 the influence of the balfour declaration on the course of postwar events was immediate. He was strongly opposed to zionism, which he called a mischievous political creed, and opposed the balfour declaration of 1917, which he considered antisemitic and whose terms he managed to modify. Gk, general studies, optional notes for upsc, ias, banking, civil services. Lord rothschilds letter is dated the 18th july and mr. It declared the united kingdom and the dominions to be. 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. Zionism, empire, and the balfour declaration project muse. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia, the. 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. Accidentally relevant article pdf available in middle east policy 244. Thus the usa was used and its men died for the zionist cause. Abstractthis article proposes a new perspective on the much debated question of why the british government published the balfour declaration.