The historical record shows a series of contradictory promises relating to Palestine
They principally include:
- 1915 McMahon-Hussein correspondence – Britain offered Sharif Hussein of Mecca support for an Arab State including Palestine
- 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement – Britain, France and Russia made a secret agreement to divide up the Middle East between them
- 1917 Balfour Declaration – Britain, in promising support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine also promised to safeguard the rights of the Arab population
- 1918 Anglo-French Declaration – Britain and France promised independence to the former subjects of the Ottoman Turks, including Palestine
- 1922 Palestine Mandate – In Article 22 Britain promised the League of Nations that it would prepare Palestine for independence, but failed to do so.
- 1939 White Paper – Jewish opinion condemned the White Paper as a retreat from the promise in the Balfour Declaration to create a Jewish National Home.
- 1948 Mandate Surrendered – Britain abandoned its pledge to protect Palestinian rights by withdrawing its forces leading to 750,000 Palestinians becoming refugees. 250 -300,000 before the British left.
We highlight these in the belief that facing the consequences of our past actions honestly is the first step towards rebuilding trust.