The declaration came in a letter that british foreign secretary arthur james balfour sent to lord. 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 letter was writen on november 2, 1917 and approved by the league of nations on july 24, 1922. Nov 02, 2017 it is now 100 years since the balfour declaration was issued. 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 have been submitted to and approved by the cabinet. In this letter of 2 november 1917, britains foreign secretary, arthur balfour, wrote to lord lionel walter rothschild, as a figurehead of the jewish community in. The balfour declaration was a public statement issued by the british government in 1917. On november 2, 1917, the british government expressed its sympathy with jewish zionist aspirations and announced that it would use its best endeavours to facilitate the establishment in palestine. His majestys government views 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 objective, it being clearly understood. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia.
His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish. The balfour declaration, the document that set the stage for. Balfour declaration international encyclopedia of the first world war. On november 2, 1917 a letter was delivered by hand from britains foreign secretary, lord balfour, to lionel walter, the second baron rothschild, at his home at 148 piccadilly, a prestigious. The announcement came in a letter from foreign secretary arthur balfour to lionel walter, 2nd lord rothschild 18681937, the unofficial leader of the british. The agreed version of the declaration, a single sentence of just 67 words, 152 was sent on 2 november 1917 in a short letter from balfour to walter rothschild, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. He sent it to lord rothschild on august 2, 1917, according to jehuda reinharz in his biography, chaim weizmann.
Text of the balfour declaration jewish virtual library. 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 balfour declarationthe fruit of 12 months of intensive negotiations between. T he balfour declaration was a statement of support made by the british government the war cabinet for the establishment of a national home for the jewish people in eretz yisrael.
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. Foreign secretary arthur balfour replied to the rothschild draft with his own draft seen here. The balfour rothschild declaration peace is our true. The announcement came in a letter from foreign secretary arthur balfour to lionel walter, 2nd lord rothschild 18681937, the unofficial leader of the british jewish community. Jun 27, 2017 letter from arthur balfour to lord walter rothschild. Wa l t e r r o t h sc h i l d, 2 n d b a r o n r o t h sc h. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people, and will. The contents of this letter became known as the balfour declaration. Wa l t e r r o t h sc h i l d, 2 n d b a r o n r o t h sc. It was in a letter that the foreign secretary wrote to lord walter rothschild, the leader of the british jewish. On november 2, balfour sent his letter to lord rothschild, a prominent zionist and a friend of chaim weizmann, stating.
Letter from arthur balfour to lord walter rothschild foreign office november 2 1917 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 have been submitted to and approved by the cabinet. The balfour declaration was a public pledge by britain, declaring its aim to establish a national home for the jewish people in palestine. The balfour declaration led the league of nations to entrust the united kingdom with the palestine mandate in 1922. Lionel walter rothschild was the lord rothschild to whom balfour addressed his 1917 proposal regarding the establishment of a jewish state. The dark forces behind the balfour declaration and its. The declaration was quite simply just a letter from the foreign secretary arthur balfour to lord lionel walter rothschild, a jewish banker, which was made public in november 1917 for the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. Four years later, the balfour declaration was a letter addressed to lord walter rothschild, which declared. Arthur balfour 18481930 to lord walter lionel rothschild 18681937. Just before israel became a state, it was ruled by the british empire. It promised that britain would aid in the creation of a national home for the jewish. 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. It is now 100 years since the balfour declaration was issued.
Lord walter rothschild, a british jewish leader who was to convey the news to the zionist federation. Feb 22, 2020 2222020 balfour declaration wikipedia. On 2 november 1917, british foreign secretary arthur balfour wrote a letter to walter rothschild, a leading figure in the british jewish community, expressing the governments support for a jewish homeland in palestine. Comprising a single paragraph, the text became known as the balfour declaration. A u t h o r s walter rothschild, arthur balfour, leo amery, lord milner s i g n a t o r i e s arthur james balfour p u r p o s e confirming support from the. The declaration acknowledged the establishment of a jewish home in palestine. Balfour declaration wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. 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 as the worlds most intractable conflict. Arthur balfour to lord lionel walter rothschild, a jewish banker, which was made public in november 1917. Despite the document initially having no legal legitimacy zionists consider the balfour declaration their. The balfour declaration balfour s promise in arabic was a public pledge by britain in 1917 declaring its aim to establish a national home for the jewish people in palestine.
The balfour declaration was a letter from british foreign secretary arthur james balfour to lord walter rothschild. The balfour declarations century of turmoil consortiumnews. This year, palestinians and their supporters mark the 100th anniversary of the balfour declaration, a written statement from the united kingdoms foreign secretary, arthur james balfour, to walter rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, in favour of the establishment of a jewish national home in palestine. The agreed version of the declaration, a single sentence of just 67 words, was sent on 2 november 1917 in a short letter from balfour to walter rothschild, for transmission to the zionist. Balfour declaration of 1917 simple english wikipedia, the. The land of palestine was ruled by many nations over the ages.
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. The balfour declaration was the first major political triumph of zionism and the culmination of jewish independent political activity until that time. The balfour rothschild declaration peace is our true nature. British antizionist jews reject the balfour declaration. 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. An inquiry into the scriptural import of the words sheol, hades, tartarus and gehenna, translated hell in the common english version boston.
The balfour declaration was sent as a 67word statement contained within the short letter addressed to the british foreign secretary, lord arthur balfour on november 2, 1917. Walter presided over the mass meeting of triumph after the declaration at the london opera house on 2 december and spoke eloquently. In the minds eye, one imagines backandforth negotiations in the palaces of whitehall and the gilded drawing rooms of the rothschild dynasty, with whitegloved servants delivering urgent sealed missives. 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 making of the balfour declaration palestinian return centre. 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. The balfour agreement became the diplomatic foundation stone of the state of israel.
The balfour declaration, written as a letter on november 2, 1917, from british foreign secretary arthur balfour to british jewish leader baron lionel walter rothschild, pledged british support for. 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 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. The balfour declaration of 1917 my jewish learning. Subsequent discussions led to balfours request, on 19 june, that rothschild. Sep 05, 2017 walter presided over the mass meeting of triumph after the declaration at the london opera house on 2 december and spoke eloquently. Balfour declaration, it issued two stamps, one depicting balfour, the other, weizmann. The declaration came in a letter that british foreign secretary arthur james balfour sent to lord rothschild lionel walter rothschild, the honorary. His majestys government view with favour the establishment in palestine of a national home for the. Nov 09, 2017 on november 2, 1917 a letter was delivered by hand from britains foreign secretary, lord balfour, to lionel walter, the second baron rothschild. Walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild jewish virtual library. 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. Walter balfour balfour, walter, 17761852 balfour, walter, 17761852.
On november 2, 1917, lord balfour of great britain wrote a letter promising a jewish home to the jewish people in the land of palestine. Walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild zionism and the. The infamous balfour declaration and the 1947 partition. A u t h o r s walter rothschild, arthur balfour, leo amery, lord milner s i g n a t o r i e s arthur james balfour. The letter was addressed to lionel walter rothschild, a british banker and a zionist. The balfour declaration was a letter from british government minister arthur balfour to jewish leader walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild. On november 2, 1917 a letter was delivered by hand from britains foreign secretary, lord balfour, to lionel walter, the second baron rothschild. The declaration was contained in a letter dated 2 november 1917 from the united kingdoms foreign secretary arthur balfour to lord rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland.
Palestine was, at the time, a remote province in the disintegrating ottoman. Walter rothschild was born in london, the eldest son and heir of lord nathan rothschild, an immensely wealthy financier, of the international rothschild financial dynasty, and the first jewish peer in england. Surely the declaration was stirred by similarly antique passions and interests, from. Balfour declaration, november 2, 1917, statement of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. Balfour declaration faqs what was the balfour declaration. Oct 31, 2016 the same baron walter rothschild to whom the balfour declaration was addressed. It was the first statement of support by any government for zionist aspirations. The balfour declaration, november 1917 the balfour project. 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 a century of jewish power news. As a prominent zionist leader, he was presented with the famous balfour declaration which pledged to a jewish national home in palestine. The balfour declaration the balfour declaration was a letter arthur balfour wrote to lionel walter rothschild and also a statement of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. Walter rothschild and the balfour declaration contact us faqs. The jews in palestine numbered 10 per cent of the population or 60,000 when the balfour declaration was announced.
He gave me copies of materials on the balfour declaration which i might never. The agreed version of the declaration, a single sentence of just 67 words, was sent on 2 november 1917 in a short letter from balfour to walter rothschild, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. Walter rothschild, 2nd baron rothschild, a scion of the rothschild family, was a british banker, politician, and zoologist. Walter rothschild and the balfour declaration lionel walter rothschild was the lord rothschild to whom balfour addressed his 1917 proposal regarding the establishment of a jewish state. Zionistswas issued by arthur james balfour, the british foreign secretary, to. 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. Oct 09, 2008 the balfour declaration the balfour declaration was a letter arthur balfour wrote to lionel walter rothschild and also a statement of british support for the establishment in palestine of a national home for the jewish people. The forgotten truth about the balfour declaration mosaic. The forgotten truth about the balfour declaration pdf scholars at.
The statement came in the form of a letter from britains then foreign secretary, arthur balfour, addressed to lionel walter rothschild, a figurehead of the british jewish community. Kingdoms foreign secretary arthur balfour to lord walter rothschild, a leader of the british jewish community, for transmission to the zionist federation of great britain and ireland. In his diary herzl describes submitting his draft proposals to the rothschild. 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. The balfour declaration was a short document and, compared with its humungous impact on history, ridiculously short.
Walter balfour balfour, walter, 17761852 the online. A s a prominent zionist leader, he was presented with the famous balfour declaration which. 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. Full text of behind the balfour declaration britains great war.
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