
Translator: Davood Salehan
Source: rasekhoon.net
Source: rasekhoon.net
Ahad Haam, one of the leading thinkers of Zionists visited Palestine, makes an interesting confession:
We imagine that the Arabs are savage people and live like animals and do not understand what is happening around them. However this is a wrong idea ... what are our brothers doing in Palestine? They act with hostility and cruelty with Arabs and deprive them of their rights, insult them, even for no reason, and are proud of what they do there is no one among us who oppose this ugly and dangerous tendency.
It should be noted that prior to the issuance of the Balfour Declaration of November 2nd, 1917, Wilson, President of America, received text of the Declaration from Lloyd George and Wiseman that agreed it in advance and congratulated its issuance, but France and Italy announced their agreements after the declaration. Previously, the Allies had agreed on Palestine being International, but after the understanding reached about the Balfour Declaration, London missioned Wiseman and Sokolof to attract France and Italy's agreement in this case and this work was done.
Unfortunately, the producer of the Declaration ignored the willing, feelings or rights of Palestinian original nation. Arthur Balfour wrote to the government of Great Britain in a memo on August 11th1919:
In Palestine, we do not even offer to discuss how form of consultation with the people of the country...is four big powers support Zionism. And Zionism, right or wrong, good or bad, in the constant traditions, current requirements and future prospects is root from much deeper sense of Arabic desire and prejudices of seven hundred thousand years that now are living in the ancient land (Palestine).
Everyone knows that the Palestinians, whether Christian or Muslim, rejected the Balfour Declaration, but what is less discussed is that the Jews of Palestine also rejected the declaration and disapproved formation of a national Jewish homeland in Palestine. Ronald Esters, the first English military ruler in Jerusalem, wrote:
Fanatical Jews of Jerusalem, Jews of Portugal and Spain strongly opposed with political Zionism.
Disapproval of Palestine's Jews with establishment of a Jewish national homeland in this country reflects the fact that it is a foreign phenomenon and had concept of imposed alien on Palestinians and even Jews who had lived in the country.
In an argument that ensued in the House of Lords on 21st June in 1922, Lord Islington stated:
Jews of Palestine lived with Arabs in complete peace in the past and they have received all the privileges that other citizens of the Ottoman Empire have had. I would also say that they never think about the creation of the Zionist - If it is not true so correct mu statement - but I do not think that so far there has been a request on behalf of the Jewish community in Palestine to create a Zion homeland in that country. The entire crisis came into existence from outside by the Jews who live in other parts of the world. I would go further and say - I think that once again I have said that - that many of the Jews of Palestine not only look at Zion home, but also to Jews from Eastern Europe who come to this country by considerable resentment. Balfour Declaration is legally absurd and is solely for the purpose of colonial countries, especially to the following two reasons:
First, State of Great Britain, as the maker of this announcement, had no governance and control over Palestinian to enable it powerful to give valid and legal promise in favor of the Jews of the world of any type and extent. The date that Balfour Declaration was made in, Palestine was a part of the Ottoman Empire, and neither Palestinian state nor the people were a part of the legal territory of Great Britain. As a result this declaration is legally invalid because the giver cannot give something to others that does not belong to him at all. Balfour Declaration is a document in which "a nation officially promises to a second nation to give them the country of the third nation."
Another writer wrote about it:
The most important and most indubitable fact is that the Declaration itself is legally invalid. Because Great Britain had no sovereignty over Palestine, not property profit, nor any authority to give it away to a nation. This declaration is merely a statement due to intentions of Great Britain and nothing else.
Second. Balfour Declaration is discredited because it violated the natural and legal rights of the Palestinian people. It does not matter if the Balfour Declaration called for the creation of a Jewish state, or merely wanted to build a national homeland for Jews. In either case, it has no value because it does not have right to harm the rights of the Palestinian people.
But the government of Great Britain did not miss the opportunity in the implementation of the Balfour Declaration. Soon after the capture of Jerusalem from the Turks, Wiseman entered the city headed a Zionists delegation and established his offices there. In 1918, the Arabs believed that the Zionists want to dominate the whole country and want to subjugate Arabs. Moreover, although Arabs constituted almost 90 percent of Palestine, the Balfour Declaration remembers them as "non-Jewish communities in [minorities]".
However, Balfour declaration is a basic fact in the history of Zionism. Because of this date, the Zionists have always used this statement as a document. In the discussion it was said that we, the Zionists, are a state in accordance with the Balfour Declaration; the Declaration that had no legal value.
Balfour Declaration was signed contract between European countries and leading Jewish human group in the West, as well as financial support from a demographic element for a strategic role. It seemed like the role the western population element plays is the main product that the West wants to achieve it. Fight for money, apart from anything, is nothing but justification and further details. For example, Max Nordau reiterated that the Zionist state will be a “country under the mandate of Great Britain," and the Jews "will stand in high-risk passage that extends from near, far and middle East to the borders of India as a watchman ". Chaim Weizmann insisted stressing the strategic importance (not economic) of Zionism government because this government, in his opinion, will be "the Asian Belgic" that means the first levee of England, especially in the case of the Suez Canal.
The Zionist state not be establishment based on religious, emotional considerations and reasons to normal invest because it will not produce a specific commodity and it will not be a place for investment opportunities or market for consumer goods and a source of raw materials and agricultural products, but it will be established that it will offer something distinct and valuable: a strategic role that supplies the dominance of the West over the world. This role certainly will have the economy efficiency.
Hearts publication also has shown a dramatic symbol to describe the role of assigning to the Zionist state and in an article dated September 30, 1951 it has said:
Israel is determined to play the role of guardian. The guard can be trusted to punish one or more than one state from Arab neighbors that their behavior may exceed limits toward the West.
After the Balfour Declaration, other European countries also acknowledged the statement and congratulated the Zionists.
The following statement was issued by the French government in the form of a letter addressed to Sokolof, Zionist representative:
Republic of France
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Department of Political Affairs and Trade
Paris, February 14, 1918
Dear Sir
Based on our agreement during our conversation on Saturday, which was ninth of the month, the Republic Government of the French has released a statement to the press to clarify its stance towards the Zionist ideal based on creating a national homeland for Jews in Palestine.
By sending the text of the statement to you, I appreciate the opportunity so in addition to congratulate you on the occasion of your sacrifices in efforts to realize the ideals of your co-religionists, I thank you for an effort to introduce friendly feelings of friendly countries, especially France,
Sincerely Yours,
The following statement was issued by the Italian government through its ambassador in London, addressed to Sokolof as the representative of the Zionist Organization:
The Italian Embassy, London
Ninth May 1918
Mr. Nahum Sokolof
No. 175, Piccadilly, W. One
Dear Sir
According to the order of His Excellency Baron Sonino, Secretary of State of His Majesty the King of Italy, I have the honor to inform you that in response to your request, the Government of His Majesty confirms statements issued by the Embassy of Italy in Washington, The Hague and Salonika based on attempts on the way to facilitate the establishment of the National Association of Jews in Palestine. The establishment of such a center should not distort the civil and religious rights of non-Jewish inhabitants of Palestine or the rights and political status of Jews in other countries.
Sincerely Yours,
Imperial Signature
Wilson, President of America, also wrote a letter in August 1918 as follows:
With deep and sincere interest, I have followed constructive efforts made by the Commission of Wiseman in Palestine which was initiated by the government of Great Britain and I like to use the opportunity to express my happiness in relation with expansion of the Zionist movement in America and other allies, since the Balfour Declaration issuance onwards. The declaration that Mr. Balfour issued on behalf of the Government of Great Britain and the government declared its support for the establishment of a national home for Jews in Palestine and promised to take action to facilitate the realization of this objective, provided that no attempt will be taken to defame the civil and religious rights of non-Jews in Palestine or the rights and political status of Jews living in other countries. Public opinion in America knew this letter as a valuable document and the full expression of America's support for Zionist purposes in accordance with the Declaration of the Government of Great Britain. Finally, one of the first tangible results of Declaration of the British government was determination of a Zionist commission for Palestine in March of 1918. Goals and level of the commission were as follows:
- the Commission shall act as the representative of the Zionist Organization.
- The Commission shall act in all matters relating to the establishment of a national home for the Jews or Jewish issues that may be relevant based on the Declaration of Majesty's Government, as an advisory organization to the British authorities in Palestine.
Commission aims were:
1. Establishing relationship between the British authorities and the Jews in Palestine.
2. Coordinating relief work in Palestine and helping in restoring the exiled and displaced persons and refugees to their former location.
3. Contribute to the development and creation of Jewish population organizations in general.
4. Helping to maintain friendly relations with the Arabs and other non-Jewish communities.
5. Contribution with the Jews' organizations and institutions in Palestine to resume the activities of individuals.
6. Collecting and reporting information about areas of further development of colonies and the country in general.
7. Studying about the possibility of establishing a Hebrew University.
According to Abdul Wahab Kiali, the Balfour Declaration is one of the strangest international document in history, as due to it a colonial state gave a land, which was not owned by Britain, to people who did not deserve it (the Zionists) - something which led to usurping a homeland and a displacement of a nation to all manner and in an unprecedented way in history.
/J