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| Recognise Palestine to mark Balfour centenary, says Emily Thornberry | Recognise Palestine to mark Balfour centenary, says Emily Thornberry |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, is calling on the UK to mark the centenary of the Balfour declaration – which called for the creation of a Jewish national homeland – with a formal British recognition of the state of Palestine. | The shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, is calling on the UK to mark the centenary of the Balfour declaration – which called for the creation of a Jewish national homeland – with a formal British recognition of the state of Palestine. |
| The Balfour declaration was issued on 2 November 1917, and took its name from a letter written by Arthur Balfour, the foreign secretary, expressing support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” to Lord Rothschild. | The Balfour declaration was issued on 2 November 1917, and took its name from a letter written by Arthur Balfour, the foreign secretary, expressing support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” to Lord Rothschild. |
| Although Israel was not established until three decades later, the declaration is still seen, not least by Israel, as a founding diplomatic initiative for a Jewish state. It is deeply resented by Palestinians. | Although Israel was not established until three decades later, the declaration is still seen, not least by Israel, as a founding diplomatic initiative for a Jewish state. It is deeply resented by Palestinians. |
| Speaking in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday, the Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, described the Balfour declaration as a “historical injustice” against the Palestinian people. | Speaking in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday, the Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, described the Balfour declaration as a “historical injustice” against the Palestinian people. |
| The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is attending a commemorative dinner in London on Thursday hosted by the current lords Balfour and Rothschild, where Thornberry will also be a guest. | |
| Thornberry has been critical of Israel’s commitment to a two-state solution – a Palestinian state alongside Israel – and to Israel’s own commitment to democracy. | Thornberry has been critical of Israel’s commitment to a two-state solution – a Palestinian state alongside Israel – and to Israel’s own commitment to democracy. |
| In pointed comments that underlined the heated debate over how the anniversary of the Balfour declaration should be publicly noted, Thornberry added that it should be marked but not necessarily celebrated. | In pointed comments that underlined the heated debate over how the anniversary of the Balfour declaration should be publicly noted, Thornberry added that it should be marked but not necessarily celebrated. |
| “I don’t think we celebrate the Balfour declaration,” Thornberry told the website Middle East Eye in a wide-ranging interview on UK foreign policy. “But I think we have to mark it because it was a turning point in the history of that area and the most important way of marking it is to recognise Palestine. | “I don’t think we celebrate the Balfour declaration,” Thornberry told the website Middle East Eye in a wide-ranging interview on UK foreign policy. “But I think we have to mark it because it was a turning point in the history of that area and the most important way of marking it is to recognise Palestine. |
| “The British government have said they will do, it’s just a question of when the time is right and it seems to me this is the time,” Thornberry added. | “The British government have said they will do, it’s just a question of when the time is right and it seems to me this is the time,” Thornberry added. |
| Acknowledging that Balfour’s letter had been a “turning point in history”, she continued that the test today was whether two viable states – Palestine and Israel – could emerge from the process. | Acknowledging that Balfour’s letter had been a “turning point in history”, she continued that the test today was whether two viable states – Palestine and Israel – could emerge from the process. |
| Thornberry added that she was concerned that Israel had “lost its way” and was heading for a “one-state reality”, incorporating Palestinian areas now occupied by Israel. | Thornberry added that she was concerned that Israel had “lost its way” and was heading for a “one-state reality”, incorporating Palestinian areas now occupied by Israel. |
| That, she added, would be “letting down the Israeli people because you cannot have a democratic, Jewish one state in that area. So they will have to choose.” | That, she added, would be “letting down the Israeli people because you cannot have a democratic, Jewish one state in that area. So they will have to choose.” |
| Thornberry’s comments follow remarks by Israel’s ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, who denounced those who oppose the Balfour declaration as “extremists”. | |
| “Those who oppose the Balfour declaration are exposing themselves for the extremists they are,” Regev told a meeting of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. | “Those who oppose the Balfour declaration are exposing themselves for the extremists they are,” Regev told a meeting of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. |
| Thornberry’s remarks contrast with those of the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who celebrated the Balfour declaration in an article published at the weekend. | Thornberry’s remarks contrast with those of the foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, who celebrated the Balfour declaration in an article published at the weekend. |
| He added that the declaration’s stipulation that “... nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine” had “has not been fully realised”. | |
| Controversy has surrounded the appropriate way to mark the anniversary of the Balfour declaration. Senior Palestinian political figures have campaigned for years for an apology from Britain for promising a future Jewish state in British Mandate Palestine in 1917. | Controversy has surrounded the appropriate way to mark the anniversary of the Balfour declaration. Senior Palestinian political figures have campaigned for years for an apology from Britain for promising a future Jewish state in British Mandate Palestine in 1917. |
| Thornberry will be standing in for Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, at Thursday’s celebration dinner. Corbyn has said he cannot attend because of pre-existing engagements, which has been read as a snub by some in Israel and in the British Jewish community. | Thornberry will be standing in for Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, at Thursday’s celebration dinner. Corbyn has said he cannot attend because of pre-existing engagements, which has been read as a snub by some in Israel and in the British Jewish community. |