The Balfour Declaration remains at the heart of Palestinian demands for recognition of their rights, 109 years after its publication. According to WAFA of 2 November 2026, the Arab League welcomed the evolution of British politics. However, it called for additional measures to end the occupation and allow a sovereign Palestinian State.
The Balfour Declaration and the question of rights
The text reproduced in Hansard on 30 October 2017 recalls the terms of the statement. The letter from British Minister Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild was dated November 2, 1917. She announced London’s support for a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. It also provides for the preservation of the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish communities in that territory. It also protects the rights and political status of Jews in other countries.
This difference in wording remains central to the historical debate. The text sets out a national goal for the Jewish people. It evokes the other inhabitants through their communities and their civil and religious rights. It does not explicitly recognise an equivalent national political right.
At the centenary on 30 October 2017, Boris Johnson had defended the British role in the creation of Israel. He had also mentioned before the Communes the guarantee protecting the rights of other communities. These communities were the Palestinians, he said. He acknowledged that this guarantee had not been fully realized.
A British Recognition Already Acted
The British Foreign Ministry announced a diplomatic stage on September 21, 2025. The United Kingdom then officially recognized the State of Palestine, alongside Canada and Australia. This recognition is therefore not a new decision announced on the occasion of the 2026 anniversary.
The British government had included it in a two-state strategy, combining Israel’s security with a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. It required reform of the Palestinian Authority and excluded a Hamas role in future governance. London also stressed that diplomatic recognition alone was not enough to transform the situation on the ground.
Arab League calls for further action
In its statement of 2 November 2026, relayed by WAFA, the Arab League presents British approaches as positive. However, it calls for their implementation to be completed. She called on London and the international community to increase pressure on Israel. Its stated objective remains the end of the occupation and a Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Colonization remains a point of diplomatic confrontation. The British Government reiterated its position in a parliamentary reply published on 14 October 2026. It considers settlements illegal under international law and contrary to the viability of a two-State solution. However, he stated that he had not approached the Balfour statement with his Israeli interlocutor since 8 September 2026. The historical reference and current diplomatic approaches thus follow separate schedules.
Comments