Celebrating the Balfour Declaration?

An interesting exchange from last month in Parliament, showing how little the government understands – or wants to admit – of the true significance of the Balfour Declaration.

Tuesday 12 January 2016

“Oral questions to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Victoria Atkins (Louth and Horncastle) (Con): November 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the Balfour declaration, which was an historic step in the creation of modern Israel. Are there any plans to mark this anniversary?

Mr Ellwood: My honourable friend is absolutely right. During this parliament, we mark a series of events and decisions that took place during and after world war one, including the Balfour

declaration, the then Foreign Secretary’s letter to the leader of the British Jewish community, Lord Rothschild. We are proud of the role that Britain played in supporting the birth of the state of

Israel, but the incompletion of the Oslo accords reminds us that there is still work to do to honour the declaration in full. But, yes, we will mark the Balfour declaration anniversary this year.”

In the light of the consequences of the Declaration, the Minister’s pride seems somewhat misplaced. Perhaps “ashamed” would be a better word.