Prime Minister Theresa May underlined this week that Britain will be marking the 100 year anniversary of the Balfour Declaration “with pride and respect”, emphasising “we are proud of the role we played in the creation of Israel”.
Replying to a Written Question about the centenary, the Prime Minister said: “During my discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 9 October we discussed his forthcoming visit to the UK on the anniversary of the Balfour centenary. We are proud of the role we played in the creation of Israel, and will mark the centenary with pride and respect”.
The Prime Minister had responded to a question by Labour MP Jared O’Mara, who asked “what recent discussions she had with the Prime Minister of Israel on the Centenary of the Balfour Declaration”.
The Balfour Declaration was a letter from Conservative Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lord Rothschild on 2nd November 1917, promising support for the creation of a national homeland for the Jewish people in Israel.
The Balfour Declaration was recognised in binding international law in 1920 at the San Remo Conference and ratified by all 51 countries of the Lead of Nations when the Mandate for Palestine was approved in July 1922.
