Edited by Gerald Boerner
Commentary:
Arthur Balfour was a Member of Parliament and the Prime Minister (starting in 1902) during the opening decade of the 20th century. He also served as First Lord of the Admiralty and Foreign Minister in David Lloyd George’s cabinet during the second decade of that century. It was as Foreign Minister that he drafted the Balfour Declaration that proposed creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine. This was welcomed by the Zionists in the U.K., but was at odds with the empire aspirations of the British following World War I. The Treaty of Versailles made Palestine a British Protectorate under the new League of Nations.
This Declaration gave encouragement to the Zionists and built up their expectations during the period between the world wars. With the persecution of the Jews under the Nazi regime, the need of the Jews for such a homeland was intensified. This no doubt led to the mandate to establish a homeland in Palestine following World War II.
Once the Jews started to settle in Palestine, the conflicts between the Jews and Palestinians had its beginnings. There have been four wars between the Arab populations in the region since the initial conflict of 1948. We still have not found a resolution to this conflict. Each side has their own issues and we have Palestinians who were displaced from their homes and have survived in refugee camps for generations. This conflict is still the basis of the unrest in the Middle East.
Let’s get started with our exploration of the Balfour Declaration and its failings. Only by finding a satisfactory resolution to the Israeli-Arab conflict can we resolve this volatile region of the world… GLB
These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved[ 3299 Words ]
Quotations Related to Arthur Balfour:
“The General Strike has taught the working class more in four days than years of talking could have done.”
— Arthur Balfour
“Biography should be written by an acute enemy.”
— Arthur Balfour
“Nothing matters very much, and very few things matter at all.”
— Arthur Balfour