ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO TODAY

The Balfour Declaration was made one hundred years ago today.

The British had promised Arabs under the Ottoman rule their independence if they rebelled to weaken the German allies. the Arabs did rebel (aided by Lawrence of Arabia). But the British needed the USA in the war, and on their side. The Zionists told the British they could drag the USA into the war, but the price would be for Palestine to be handed over to the Jews. So the British issued The Balfour Declaration, even though it was contrary to what Britain had told the Arabs.

See Who Wrote the Balfour Declaration and Why: The World War I Connection for further details.