How the 1917 Balfour Declaration caused the modern Israel-Palestine conflict

In the early 20th century, the Zionist movement, which advocated for the establishment of a Jewish homeland, was gaining momentum.

Theodor Herzl, often regarded as the father of modern Zionism, had organized the First Zionist Congress in 1897, setting the stage for a concerted effort to achieve this goal.

Concurrently, the Ottoman Empire, which had controlled Palestine for centuries, was showing signs of weakness, prompting various powers to vie for influence in the region.

As World War I raged, the British government, led by Prime Minister David Lloyd George and Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, sought to secure support on multiple fronts.

They recognized the strategic importance of Palestine, located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and its potential role in safeguarding the Suez Canal, a vital route to British colonies in India.

In this context, aligning with the Zionist movement seemed a promising avenue to bolster Jewish support, particularly in the United States and Russia, for the Allied war effort.

The pivotal moment came on November 2, 1917, when Arthur Balfour penned a letter to Lord Rothschild, a leading figure in the British Jewish community and a supporter of Zionism.

The declaration read: "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."

This declaration was the culmination of years of Zionist lobbying and negotiations, and it marked the first time a major world power had explicitly supported the idea of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

The use of the term "national home" was intentionally vague, a compromise between Zionist aspirations for statehood and British diplomatic considerations.

The wording was carefully crafted to balance the interests of various stakeholders, including the Arab population in Palestine, the international Jewish community, and the geopolitical interests of the British Empire.

The British also saw the declaration as a means to secure support from the Jewish population worldwide, particularly in the United States and Russia, during World War I.

British policymakers believed that backing the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine would encourage Jewish support for the Allied war effort.

This was particularly important given the need to maintain Russian involvement in the war and to encourage American entry into the conflict.

Additionally, there were humanitarian and ideological considerations at play.

Many in the British government, including Arthur Balfour himself, were sympathetic to the Zionist cause and the plight of Jews facing persecution in Europe and Russia.

They saw the establishment of a Jewish national home as a moral obligation and a fulfillment of historical and biblical promises.

Following the declaration in 1917, there was a significant increase in Jewish immigration to Palestine.

This immigration was facilitated by the British Mandate, which incorporated the principles of the Balfour Declaration and officially began in 1922.

The mandate period saw the establishment of Jewish institutions, infrastructure, and agricultural settlements, which laid the groundwork for the future state of Israel.

However, the declaration and subsequent Jewish immigration led to growing tensions between Jewish and Arab communities in Palestine.

The Arab population, which constituted the majority, viewed the influx of Jewish settlers and the establishment of a national home as a threat to their own national aspirations and presence in the land.

This discontent manifested in a series of violent clashes and uprisings, including the Arab riots of 1920 and 1921, and the more widespread Arab revolt of 1936-1939.

The declaration is often cited as a pivotal moment in the history of Zionism, providing crucial international support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

For many Jews, the declaration represented a significant step towards fulfilling their national aspirations and a beacon of hope amid persecution and discrimination in Europe.

The controversies surrounding the declaration extend to debates over its legality and morality.

Critics argue that the British government, as an occupying power, had no right to promise the land of Palestine to a third party.

The conflicting promises made by Britain to both Jews and Arabs during World War I further complicate the declaration's legacy, as they contributed to a sense of betrayal and injustice among Arabs.

The Balfour Declaration's centennial in 2017 reignited discussions about its legacy, with celebrations among Zionists and protests by Palestinians and their supporters.

The declaration remains a symbol of national pride for many Israelis, while for Palestinians, it represents the beginning of their dispossession and the loss of their homeland.