1. Why are you called the Balfour Project?
First and foremost, the Balfour Project team are not apologists for or supporters of Arthur Balfour. In 1917 the British Government issued the Balfour Declaration, a short statement pledging its support for ‘the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.’ The memo also stated that ‘nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.’ The declaration has had long-term consequences and remains controversial for the inherent contradictions contained. Crucially, while a homeland for the Jewish people has been achieved, Palestinians remain stateless, exiled, refugees or second-class citizens within Israel. In the lead up to the centenary of the Balfour Declaration in 2017 a group of British citizens asked themselves how their country would mark the occasion. They called their research, reflections and advocacy the Balfour Project.
2. Who founded the Balfour Project?
A group of British individuals who seek to promote a deeper awareness in Britain of Britain’s historical involvement in Palestine/Israel and advocate equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.
3. How are you funded?
Our running costs and events are financed by donations from a range of supporters.
4. What are you hoping to achieve?
Greater public, parliamentary and government awareness of Britain’s role in the region in the first half of the last century and the impact of Britain’s attitude and actions today. The Balfour Project invites the Government and people of the United Kingdom to:
- Acknowledge Britain’s historical role in shaping 20th and 21st century Palestine/Israel, particularly in light of the Balfour Declaration and the policies of the British Mandate.
- Support Palestinians and Israelis in building a peaceful future based on equal rights, justice and security for all.
- Work for British government recognition of the State of Palestine.
5. What are your main activities?
Our work has three strands: historical, to serve as an authoritative source of material on the past for researchers and the public; educational, raising awareness among new generations of British students; and advocacy, to persuade Parliament and our Government to change course.
Please consult the following links for further information about schools workshops, regular webinars, film screenings, and conferences, and the Fellowship Programme for UK university students.
6. Are you asking for a government apology for the Balfour Declaration?
The Balfour Project advocates change in government policy today, not an apology for the past. We seek to raise awareness of the deliberately ambiguous Balfour Declaration’s intentions and consequences, particularly the Declaration’s dismissively vague attitude towards the Palestinian Arab population, which was not even mentioned as such. While the declaration of 1917 acknowledged the political and national rights of the minority Jewish community in Palestine, it notably failed to acknowledge those of the majority Palestinian Arab population (described as ‘non-Jewish communities’). That failure is evident and its legacy has had an enduring impact. While a homeland for the Jewish people has been achieved, Palestinians remain stateless, exiled, refugees or second-class citizens within Israel. The implementation of the Balfour Declaration, via the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine (ratified in 1922), was also a breach of the Covenant of the League of Nations (Article 22) under which Britain assumed ‘a sacred trust of civilisation’ to ensure the ‘well-being and development’ of the Palestinians. Where once Britain exercised power, now we can and should exert influence for peace with justice and equality under the rule of law.
7. If the two-state solution is dead, why argue for U.K. recognition of the state of Palestine on pre-June 1967 lines?
International law and a series of United Nations Security Council Resolutions recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) – Gaza, East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank – as the territorial basis for Palestinian self-determination and a future Palestinian state. In 2012 the United Nations General Assembly granted Palestine the status of Non-Member Observer State after 138 member states voted in favour.
The Balfour Project advocates Britain’s recognition of Palestine as a state, noting that such recognition has wide Palestinian support and was the subject of an overwhelming vote in favour of recognition by British Members of Parliament in 2014. Recognition of a Palestinian state would substantially improve the Palestinian position in international forums and enhance its bargaining strengths and status. Advocacy of a Palestinian state does not mean that the Balfour Project takes a position on final status for the Palestine-Israel question, such as one-state, two-state or any other formula.
The Balfour Project strongly condemns all forms of racism. Please see our policy on racism here.