109th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration

Summary

That this House notes the 109th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration of 2 November 1917, in which the British Government pledged its support for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people without consulting the Palestinian Arab population, who made up the overwhelming majority of the country; condemns the Government of the day for making that pledge without consulting the people whose land it concerned, despite its own stated commitment that nothing should prejudice the rights of existing communities; recognises that British imperial policy during the Mandate period facilitated the dispossession of Palestinians, leading to the first Nakba in 1948, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes; acknowledges that the consequences of this dispossession continue today through Israel's illegal occupation, settlement expansion, forced displacement, and denial of Palestinian refugees' right to return; further acknowledges the historic responsibility the United Kingdom bears for this legacy; expresses deep concern at the ongoing suffering and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians; and calls on the Government to uphold the Palestinian right to self-determination, to support the right of Palestinian refugees to return in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194, to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and to pursue a just and lasting peace based on international law.

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Timeline

1. 2 November 2026

   Early Day Motion

   That this House notes the 109th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration of 2 November 1917, in which the British Government pledged its support for the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people without consulting the Palestinian Arab population, who made up the overwhelming majority of the country; condemns the Government of the day for making that pledge without consulting the people whose land it concerned, despite its own stated commitment that nothing should prejudice the rights of existing communities; recognises that British imperial policy during the Mandate period facilitated the dispossession of Palestinians, leading to the first Nakba in 1948, when more than 750,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced from their homes; acknowledges that the consequences of this dispossession continue today through Israel's illegal occupation, settlement expansion, forced displacement, and denial of Palestinian refugees' right to return; further acknowledges the historic responsibility the United Kingdom bears for this legacy; expresses deep concern at the ongoing suffering and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians; and calls on the Government to uphold the Palestinian right to self-determination, to support the right of Palestinian refugees to return in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution 194, to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access, and to pursue a just and lasting peace based on international law.

   Source: Early Day Motion

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Sponsors

• Shockat Adam · Independent · Primary sponsor

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