Jordan Khayat's List: Balfour Declaration

Introduction + Thesis:

From the beginning, the twice-promised land has faced many problems on its road to peace. One of these was the Balfour Declaration issued in 1917 that stated the British recognized a need for a Jewish state in Palestine. Although the actual document stated this was because they believed the Jews deserved a place to escape prejudice, there was much more to it. Britain sought for their own personal gain and created their own problems when making this promise. They expected to sway the Jews in other countries to their favor and keep the Arabs calm by promising their rights would not be touched. This was more then the British could handle and once they realized that they put the fate of this land in the hands of someone else, even if it was their mistake. The Balfour Declaration, having British interests at heart during World War 1, gave an impossible promise to the Jewish and Arabs and caused two populations two fight against each other in a long-lasting conflict.

Common Knowledge: Event

~ 1917.. during WWI

~ At this time, the war had finally turned in favor of the Allies

~ It was named for Arthur Balfour, the British foreign secretary at the time.

- Jewish

~ The British wanted to keep the Russians in the war and get the Americans in.

- American Jewish politicians would also support

~ They thought support for a Jewish state in Palestine would sway the Jewish public in those countries.

~ British wanted to prevent a separate peace treaty with Germany

~ Could also possibly sway German and Austrian Jews to turn against the Central Powers.

~ Contradicted the Husayn- McMahon Correspondance of 1915 that promised support for an Arab Kingdom in return for Arab revolt against the Ottomans

~ President at the time, Wilson, Supported

~ considered having a Turkish 'Balfour Declaration for support of an Entente victory

Print sources: Event and Significance

Pendergast, Tom, Sara Pendergast, and Ralph Zerbonia. Middle East Conflict Almanac. Detroit: U·X·L, 2006. Print. 88-89.

"Britain and France, however, were already developing plans to defeat the Ottoman Empire. They recognized that the Arab populations in the region had legitimate claims to self-rule, and that these populations are willing to help Britain and France fight against the Ottomans. In order to encourage Arab assistance, Britain and France promised that they would help the Arabs build independent nations. Britain was also very interested in gaining cooperation from the Jewish Community in Palestine.

"Britain had committed itself to what would soon prove to be a nearly impossible task, creating an independent Jewish state in Palestine without taking away the rights of the non-Jewish people in the region. In the years that followed this statement, Jewish and Arab populations within Palestine would fight each other, and fight with and against the British, in an effort to gain permanent political power in Palestine."

Paraphrase: The British formed a plan to support a homeland for the Jews for their own benefit and simultaneously created problems that would continue to corrupt the Arab World. They need the support of Jews in other countries to turn the tide in their favor during WW1. Unfortunately this problem was more than they could handle. They could not appease the Jewish while still expecting the Arabs to continue like no changes were made. Now the British can face a threat from both by creating a situation that they could not control.

Internet Source- Significance

Britannica Inc.. Balfour Declaration. 1994-2009. Web. 17 May 2011. .

"The Balfour Declaration was endorsed by the principal Allied powers and was included in the British mandate over Palestine, formally approved by the newly created League of Nations on July 24, 1922. In May 1939 the British government altered its policy in a White Paper recommending a limit of 75,000 further immigrants and an end to immigration by 1944. Zionists condemned the new policy, accusing Britain of favouring the resident Palestinian Arabs of the region. This point was made moot by the outbreak of World War II (1939–45) and the founding of the State of Israel in 1948."

Paraphrase: Who Britain supported in was affected by what was most beneficial to them and caused many contradictions and a fairly unclear understanding of who would actually be the power in Palestine. This confusion led both parties to believe it was theirs and they eventually made the choice of creating Israel and going back on promises made to the Arabs.

Common Knowledge: Significance

~ without it the Germans could have negotiated a separate treaty with Russia and focused on the Western Front

~ U.S might not have got in the war when it did

~ Central Powers could have won.

~ The Jewish have another claim to Palestinian land claiming it was supported by the Allies.

~ The British really saw it as in opportunity to put themselves in control of the area of Palestine as a share of spoils in the war

~ If the Balfour Declaration had not worked, Turkey could have remained in charge of Palestine.

~ The British could have also not divided Palestine causing the several wars now taking place between Israel and Palestine.

Conclusion:

Without this document's present in history, the situation in the Middle East could have transpired differently. Had World War I been won by the central powers due to the Russian defeat and U.S. involvement, the Ottoman Empire might still be ruling the Peninsula. Then without the British interference in Palestine, their would be no Arab- Israeli conflict present. Of course other issues would have presented themselves over time, like constant prejudice of Jews. Even if Britain had handled the document differently and been able to judge whether it was truly a viable option to have a peaceful Arab and Palestinian state, the partition never would have happened. Now the Arab world is living with the decisions and past promises that only lead to constant warfare.