Balfour Declaration, 1917

The Balfour Declaration was a letter dated November 2, 1917 from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour, to Lord Rothschild (Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild), a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation, a private Zionist organization. The letter stated the position, agreed to at a British Cabinet meeting on October 31 1917, that the British government supported Zionist plans for a Jewish "national home" in Palestine, with the condition that nothing should be done which might prejudice the rights of existing communities there.

Related Topics:
Letter - November 2 - 1917 - British - Foreign Secretary - Arthur James Balfour - Lord Rothschild (Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild) - British - Jewish - Community - Zionist Federation - Zionist - Organization - British Cabinet - October 31 - Government - Zionist - Palestine - Rights

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At the time, most of the area of Palestine was still under the control of the Ottoman Empire, and the borders of what would become Palestine had been outlined as part of the May 16 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France. In exchange for the commitment in the declaration, the Jewish community would seek to encourage the United States to join World War I. That was not the sole reason, for there had long been considerable support in Britain for the idea of a Jewish homeland, but the timing was influenced by the possibility.

Related Topics:
Ottoman Empire - May 16 - 1916 - Sykes-Picot Agreement - France - United States - World War I

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Language from the Declaration was later incorporated into the Sèvres peace treaty with Turkey and the Mandate for Palestine.

Related Topics:
Sèvres peace treaty - Turkey - Mandate for Palestine

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