Lord Balfour

In 1917, under pressure from the Jewish community, the British govern-ment issued the "Balfour Declaration". This document pledged British assistance in the establishment of a Jewish national homeland in Palestine.

The outbreak of World War I divided the Zionist movement, whose headquarters had been in Germany. With the advent of the war, the Zionist movement became divided with centers in England, Germany, and the United States. Up until the outbreak of the war, the British goal had been to ensure the unity of the Ottoman Empire. Once the war began, the British began to set their eyes on parts of the Ottoman Empire. The spokesman of the Zionist movement in Great Britain was Chaim Weizmann, a Russian émigré who had studied in Germany and was a noted chemist. Weizmann charmed the British leadership into considering the idea of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Many years later, Sir Ronald Storrs described Weizmann as:

A brilliant talker with an unrivaled gift for the lucid exposition as a speaker almost frightening convincing, even in English. In Hebrew, and even more in Russian. Overwhelming with all that dynamic percussiveness which Slavs usually devote to love and Jews to business, nourished, trained and concentrated upon the accomplishments of Zion.

Weizmann's ability to influence the British deliberation on the matter of establishing a Jewish homeland was helped by the contributions Weizmann made to the war effort, by developing a crucial chemical used for explosives. More importantly, as the British advanced on Palestine, the postwar future of the area was of concern to the British government. Lloyd George and Lord Balfour believed an alliance with the Jewish people would strengthen the British claim on Palestine. The British felt they would gain support from both the British and American Jewish communities, where Zionists had become more prominent. Louis Brandeis, leader of the American Zionist movement, had been appointed to the US Supreme Court. The deliberations on issuing the declaration for the establishment of a Jewish homeland took place among people naturally sympathetic to Zionist aspirations.

On November 2, 1917, the British government issued their declaration supporting the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The declaration was in the form of a letter written by Lord Balfour to Lord Rothschild. The letter stated:

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.