World Jewish News

British Labour leader shuns invitation to dinner event for Balfour Declaration centennial

British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn turned down an invitation to attend a dinner commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, The Jewish Chronicle reported.

The Balfour Declaration was a letter sent by then-British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lord Walter Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community, on 2 November 1917. It paved the way for the creation of the State of Israel.

The declaration reads : “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to London to take part in the events marking the centennial of the Balfour Declaration.

It will be Netanyahu’s second visit to Britain in a year after his meeting there with British Prime Minister Theresa May in February.

During that meeting, May invited Netanyahu to take part in the events.

The British Prime Minister has rejected Palestinian demands that Britain apologize for the Balfour Declaration.

She wrote that the anniversary would be noted with “pride.”

EJP