London 16-02-2017  

The Balfour Apology Campaign (BAC) has just launched its petition which calls on the British Government to apologise for the Balfour Declaration and lead peace efforts in Palestine.

The campaign which is initiated by the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) urges the Government to acknowledge responsibility for its colonial crimes in Palestine following the infamous declaration.  

The Balfour Declaration issued by the British Government in 1917 resulted in the mass displacement of the Palestinian people and a hundred-years suffering.  

The Balfour Declaration had no legal authority. It was described by the Jurist Henry Cattan as “legally void, morally wicked and politically mischievous”.

BAC invites the British public to join our petition below:  

UK must apologise for the Balfour Declaration & lead peace efforts in Palestine We call on Her Majesty’s Government to openly apologise to the Palestinian people for issuing the Balfour Declaration.

The colonial policy of Britain between 1917-1948 led to mass displacement of the Palestinian nation. HMG should recognise its role during the Mandate and now must lead attempts to reach a solution that ensures justice for the Palestinian people.

Link to sign: 

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/184398  

The Campaign aims to impact all sections of society through working with politicians, MPs, media, NGOs, Charities, students and members of the public to raise awareness of Britain’s colonial past and its role in creating the longest standing conflict in modern times.  

No document in Middle Eastern history has had as much influence as the Balfour Declaration on the current plight of the Palestinian people.

The Balfour Declaration, a 67-word statement is contained in the short letter by the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Arthur Balfour to Lord Rothschild, a leading English Jew, on November 2, 1917.

The declaration “[viewed] with favour” the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine, without the consent of the inhabitants of the country who were the majority.

In 1917, at the time of the declaration, Palestinians constituted over 90% of the total population.  

About the Campaign

Our mission is to seek an official apology from the British government for issuing the infamous Balfour Declaration.

We believe that the British government’s recognition of its destructive colonial past is a necessary step towards achieving peace, justice and reconciliation.