Palestinian Authority Plans to Sue UK over Balfour Declaration

ondon, MINA – The Palestinian Authority plans to sue the UK over the 100-year-old Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for the creation of Israel.

It will hire a British law firm to pursue an apology, and plans to explore similar actions in European and other international courts, Arab News reported Saturday, citing Foreign Minister Riad Malki.

“The Palestinian government has made every effort to persuade the British government to abandon its decision to celebrate the centennial of the Balfour Declaration,” Malki said in an emailed statement quoted by Bloomberg.

Palestinians “will exhaust all possibilities for a partial realization of the stolen justice that was executed by Britain through its ominous promise.”

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The Balfour Declaration of 1917 promised a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine, and was this week celebrated during a dinner between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his UK counterpart Theresa May.

A protest against the commemoration, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, will take place today.

The UK government has refused to apologize for the Balfour Declaration, reaffirming instead that it was “proud of its role” in creating the State of Israel.
The Palestinian ambassador to the UK vehemently disagrees with that stance, telling Arab News last month that “the displacement of the Palestinians is a result of that document.”

Netanyahu on Friday told an audience at the Chatham House think-tank in London that the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict hinges on recognition of Israel and acceptance of the Balfour Declaration. (T/RS5/RS1)

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Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)