 | GenghisTheHun (177)
11/02/2006 |  Today is November 2. On this date in history in 1917, the British Government issued the Balfour Declaration.
This declaration, from British foreign minister, Arthur Balfour, promises the Jews a national home in Palestine.
Here is the text of the declaration:
Foreign Office
November 2nd, 1917
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet:
"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."
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
Yours sincerely, Arthur James Balfour
This is a remarkable document as Arthur Koestler notes in that one nation promises another nation the land of a third nation.
These 125 words have had an enormous effect on the subsequent history of the world.
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