Britain’s major role in the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 is no secret and has been well-documented by historians. The mainstream media, meanwhile, has for decades addressed the Palestinian issue as something that dates back to the 1967 Six Day War, ignoring the fact that the conflict was by then already at least 50 years old. It was in 1917 that the British government voiced its support for a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The letter in which this was set out became known as the Balfour Declaration.
The centenary of Balfour was marked by Britain’s then Prime Minister, Theresa May, inviting her Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, to commemorate the anniversary “with pride”. This was despite the fact that over 13,500 people had signed a parliamentary petition launched by the Palestinian Return Centre calling for the government to apologise to the Palestinians. The PRC pointed out that Britain’s pro-Israel colonial policy had caused “mass displacement” and a massive, ongoing injustice.
The government remained steadfast in its denial. “The Balfour Declaration is a historic statement for which Her Majesty’s Government does not intend to apologise,” a spokesperson declared. “We are proud of our role in creating the State of Israel.”
Britain is yet to acknowledge its historic responsibility for the calamitous situation facing the Palestinians. Successive governments have avoided the injustice by simply making statements of goodwill, instead of progressive actions to end the Israeli occupation and support the Palestinian right to self-determination.
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