Lawrence of Arabia, Zionism and Palestine - The World War I ...

ZIONISM AND PALESTINE, 51
the expected fall of Jerusalem, despite two formidable
oppositions — British Jewry, preferring to remain
"hundred per cent. Englishmen of 'non-conformist*
persuasion", and an India Office ultra-Islamic under a
Jewish Secretary of State 1 —there was launched upon
the world the momentous and fateful Balfour Declaration.
By this instrument Lord Rothschild, bearer of
the most famous name in world Jewry, was informed
that "His Majesty's Government view with favour the
establishment in Palestine of a National Home for the
Jewish people and will use their best endeavours to
facilitate the achievement of that object, it being 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 the Jews in other countries". Mere
promulgation by the British Cabinet of such a pronouncement
would have been useless without the support of
the principal Allies. Dr. Weizmann was fortunate
indeed in his colleague Dr. Nahum Sokolow, 2 who
obtained the adoption of the Declaration both from the
French and Italian Governments, as well as from the
Vatican, in letters addressed by those Governments to
him personally; thus insuring its acceptance by the
Peace Conference at Versailles. And it was Sokolow
who as Head of the Zionist Delegation pressed for the
British Mandate for Palestine.
The Declaration enjoyed an excellent Press, together
with general and generous support from thousands of
Anglican priests, Protestant ministers, and other
religiously-minded persons throughout the Western
Hemisphere; only the Central Powers bewailing their
leader. The Balfour Declaration was not part of a bargain, nor
a reward for services rendered." Blanche Dugdale, Arthur James
Balfour, p. 226n.
1 Edwin Montagu.
2 See Orientations, p. 403.