Trudy Gold
Why the Balfour Declaration?

Trudy Gold | Why the Balfour Declaration?

- Why the Balfour Declaration? Why did the British issue the Balfour Declaration on November 2nd, 1917? Many of you who read the British press will recall that a couple of months ago, a painting of Balfour was defaced at his Oxford College. You will also recall that “The Guardian,” which had once been a great sponsor of the Balfour Declaration through its editor C.P. Scott, said it was the most terrible thing it had ever done. And why is the Balfour Declaration so controversial? And why did Britain issue it? Depending on which book you read, and there are hundreds of books on the Balfour Declaration. I’m going to give you at the beginning… Now this is going to take two sessions. I’m going to give you at the beginning a series of reasons. The great Yehuda Bauer actually said, “You are almost going to have to suspend belief "in some of the things that you are going to be told.” Weizmann’s biographer, Leonard Stein, said, “It’s quite simple. "The Balfour Declaration was a present to Chaim Weizmann.” Also in government, you had Lloyd George and Arthur Balfour, both of whom were evangelical Christians. And I know Williams talked quite a lot to you about that. Bauer also said, “There was a belief "in the almost occult power of world Jewry.” Believe it or not, the British thought that a pro-Zionist declaration could keep the Bolsheviks in the war, bearing in mind they knew that so many of the Bolshevik leaders were Jewish, despite the fact that, of course, Zionism was anathema to these internationalists.

They also believed it would bring America into the war. Why? Because Woodrow Wilson had many Jewish friends and advisors, like Brandeis and Frankfurter. And also, there was a Foreign Office memo saying that the Jews of the Arab world had made it clear that a pro-Zionist declaration would bring them the support of the Jews. Anyway, the other problem about the Balfour Declaration is what on earth does it mean? But before we get on to that, I want to talk a little bit about Palestine. It had been part of the Ottoman Empire since 1517. For those in England, or in Britain I should say, it’s about the size of Wales. For those of you in America, it’s about the size of Massachusetts. It lacked any real natural resources. By 1911, Jerusalem was the largest city. There were about 60,000 inhabitants: 7,000 Muslims, 9,000 Christians, 40,000 Jews. By 1914, the Zionist enterprise was underway. They had purchased about 130,000 acres from mainly Arab landowners or Christian Arab landowners or absentee Turkish landowners. They had set up 26 separate colonies. 90,000 acres were actually under cultivation. But where was Zionism in 1914? Yes, Tel Aviv, the cornerstone of Tel Aviv had been laid. The First and Second Aliyah was underway, but it was very much a minority movement. And after the death of Theodor Herzl, there’d been no real attempt by any big power to help the Zionists.

And when World War I broke out, as I already explained in another lecture, it was a real problem. Which side should the Zionists take? When war broke out, the headquarters were in Berlin. They moved it to Sweden. But still, what side should they take? And it was actually the Turks that forced their hand. Because the Turks began expelling Russian-born Jews from Palestine as enemy aliens to British-controlled Alexandria. So the First World War, the big powers are going to range. The British, the French, the Russians, the Habsburgs, the Ottomans, the Germans, they are the major powers. And what we’re going to see in the Balfour Declaration and what we’re going to see in the events leading up to it, one of my first ever students, an extraordinary woman, when I explained the Balfour Declaration to the group, and believe me, I have read so many books on it, she said, “You’ve got to made it up. "It couldn’t really be true what happened.” And that’s why I am trying to take two weeks with you. A lot of you will know a lot. But what I’m trying to do is to put together a picture. But before we do that, I had a very close friend called Stuart Libson, who unfortunately is no longer with us.

And when I ran the OJCC, he collected films. And one of the films he collected, please bear with it because the quality isn’t marvellous. But, it is the first film ever to show Ottoman Palestine as far as I know. It was taken by an estate agent from Manchester, a man called Murray Rosenberg. He goes to Palestine. He goes to Jerusalem and he takes a cine film. And I just thought it would be very interesting for you all to see this. And can I also say, Palestine was, the borders as we know them today did not exist. These are administrative districts within the Turkish Empire. They are mainly peopled by Arabs. The Arab population either settled villages, or nomadic Bedouin, and, of course, Christians, a lot of churches there, and the Jews of the First and Second Aliyah, the Yemenite exodus into Palestine, and also very religious Jews in Jerusalem. So can we please see this film? Bear with it; it’s worth it. Thank you.

• This is 1911, remember.

• There is no mechitza at the Kotel at this stage.

• There you see on the right Murray Rosenberg and his wife.

• in Manchester.

• I want you to focus very, very carefully. Fascinating, isn’t it?

• Remember, there had been an earthquake in Jerusalem.

• I think I can say, this is a neglected site in Ottoman Palestine.

• Okay, thank you very much. Can we go back to the first slide again? So having said that in 1914, as far as support from any overseas power, the Zionist Organisation was nowhere. True, Chaim Weizmann had come to London and was getting allies, but it’s not a serious consideration. War has been declared. And you have a liberal-dominated War Cabinet in Britain. And they are actually beginning to discuss, if they beat the Turks, if they beat the Germans, if they beat the Habsburgs, what’s going to happen? This is Sir Edward Grey, “If we acquire fresh territory, "will we be stronger for it or weaker.” Lord Aldyn, “Defeat the Ottomans and Germans "but keep their empires intact.” The sole conservative member of the War Cabinet was Balfour, and he’s backed by Churchill. And Churchill says, “In Asia, "We have to deal with countries "which have been totally mismanaged by the Turks.” He said, “We ought to make a clean sweep.” Lord Kitchener is in favour of annexation. So remember, more than anything else, the British are interested in their own position. And what we’re going to see that’s going to happen in the war is that certain promises are going to be made that I think Britain will deserve the title Perfidious Albion. Now if you don’t mind, can we see the text of the Balfour Declaration? And because my throat is still not better, I’ve asked Josie to read it if you don’t mind. Over to you.

• [Josie] Great. “Dear Lord Rothschild, "I have much pleasure in conveying to you, "on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, "the following declaration of sympathy "with Jewish Zionist aspirations "which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet. "His Majesty’s Government view with favour "the establishment in Palestine "of a national home for Jewish people, "and will use their best endeavours "to facilitate the achievement of this object, "it being clearly 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 Jews "in any other country. "I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration "to the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.”

• Now, I want you all to look at this letter very, very carefully. It was actually in the form of a letter to Lord Walter Rothschild, one of the few members of the British establishment, Jewish establishment, who in fact was a Zionist. It was given in the Royal Opera House in front of 2,000 people. But I want you all to read it to yourselves very, very slowly and try and work out what you think it means. Because I can remember, I once taught a group of lawyers in the Inner Temple. And what these lawyers did to the Balfour Declaration was absolutely extraordinary. And don’t forget, in 1939, the British are going to say, “What did we mean by it?” So can you all go through it very, very carefully. A declaration of sympathy. They “view with favour the establishment in Palestine "of a national home.” Are there others? And what does “view with favour” mean? I view with favour that you will take me to The Bahamas. Am I expecting you to pay for it? Are you going to make it happen? “And will use their best endeavours "to facilitate the achievement of this object.” What does that mean? “It being clearly 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 Jews in any other country.” And we’re grateful, et cetera, et cetera.

Now there were many draughts of the Balfour Declaration before it reached this phase. And there were all sorts of factions at work in this final document, including Jewish anti-Zionists who were terrified of their own political situation in England. In fact, Edwin Montagu was about to go to India, a Secretary of State for Britain. And he said, “How can you send me to India "representing the British government "when you are telling me "my home is at the eastern end of the Mediterranean?” But anyway, it was seen as a triumph by the Zionist Organisation. It was, of course, in the name of Arthur Balfour. And I think he’s a man we should concentrate on a little because he is a fascinating character. So there are so many fascinating characters in this story, which is really, I think, the beginning of a terrible tragedy. Did the British intend it to unfold this way? I don’t know. I don’t believe so. I think in the end, we’re going to understand that the British were acting in their own interests. But at the same time, there were certain members of the British government who really did believe in the Zionist endeavour. And one of them was Arthur James Balfour. So can we have a look at his picture please? There you see him. His dates. He was born in Scotland. He came from an incredibly noble family. His mother was a member of the famous Cecil family and daughter of the 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, and therefore sister to the future Prime Minister of England. His godfather was the Duke of Wellington. He was named for the Duke of Wellington. He’s absolutely at the pinnacle of the English aristocracy. He’s educated at Eaton. He read Moral Sciences at Trinity Cambridge. He was the eldest son and heir. He’s the third child but he is the eldest son. He had very strange relationships with women. He never married, and evidently had a great love when she was young, but she died of typhus. Was it true love? He only visited her only once.

And he did have a very strange relationship with a woman called Mary Charteris, nee Wyndham. It was quite a sadomasochistic affair. If you are interested, read about them because they’re fascinating. He didn’t like emotion very much. His mother was the most important person in his life. She was an evangelical Christian. Remember, his father dies when he’s very young. She is his person. And she gave him not only a strong dislike of Catholicism, but also a love of culture. He was an aesthete. He spoke French. He loved culture. And when he was still at prep school, the head said, “Your son is way beyond his means,” “his means and his years.” He was always playing around with philosophical ideas. Cambridge to him was pretty unimportant. But when he leaves university, he’s one of the richest men in England. His father’s dead, remember. He buys a fabulous house in Colton Gardens overlooking the mall. And two years later, he became the master of the family estate in Scotland which makes him not only one of the richest men in England but one of the most important aristocrats. He enters Parliament under the patronage of his uncle, who’s the Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury. In England we have this expression, “Bob’s your uncle.” And that’s where it comes from because Lord Robert Salisbury was Arthur Balfour’s uncle and he’s going to promote him all the way. But he spends more time writing philosophy. He divides his time between political and academic pursuits. He goes through various stages in the Tory Party. He becomes Lord of the Admiralty. He becomes Prime Minister at one stage.

And Winston Churchill who, of course, his turn of phrase is wonderful. He once compared Arthur Balfour to Asquith. He said, “The difference between Balfour and Asquith "is that Arthur is wicked and moral "while Asquith is good and amoral.” Now, he also tried to reconcile Darwinism with faith. So this is a man who thinks a lot. He’s got a lot of ideas. Now, what on earth has this got do with the Jews? Now he was actually Prime Minister during the Aliens Act. The period of time talking about the Balfour Declaration, he’s’ Foreign Secretary. But he is Prime Minister during the period of the Uganda Offer. You will recall when we looked at Herzl in 1903, the British government offered the Jews a homeland. It’s not in Uganda actually. It’s called Uganda, but it’s on the borders of Kenya Uganda. They have this huge empire. What is wrong with giving it to somebody else? And it’s fascinating, and of course it’s going to be turned down. Now he did say this in a speech in the House. He’s talking about the Aliens Act. “The treatment of the Jewish race "has been a disgrace to Christendom, "a disgrace which tarnishes the fair name of Christianity. "Even at this moment to which in the Middle Ages "gave rise to horrors, "whoever makes himself acquainted with them, "even in the most superficial manner, "reads of them with shuddering and feelings of horror "lest any trace of the blood guiltiness then incurred "should have fallen on the descendants "of those who committed the deed, disease.” I mean, this was an article, for example, in the “Manchester Evening Chronicle” about the number of Jews coming into Britain.

“The dirty destitute of the diseased verminous "and criminal foreigners who dumps himself on our soil "should be forbidden to land.” Now, his attitude to the Jews. He could write things like that, but if you examine much of his writing, originally he did have the casual prejudice of his class. He shrank from what he called the antisocial characteristics, which Herzl thought Jews had acquired in the ghetto. In a letter of 1899 to Mary Elcho, his mistress, or not mistress, “I believe the Hebrews were in the…” He talks about a party he went to. “I believe the Hebrews were in the majority. "And though I have no prejudice against the race, "quite the contrary, I began to understand the point of view "of those who object to alien immigration.” And this is another letter he writes later on in 1911. “The Jewish eager interest in all things of the mind "instead of attracting, half repels. "It all seems so much on the surface.” But he’s Prime Minister at the time of the passing of the Aliens Act. And this is what the “Jewish Chronicle” wrote, “How could the Prime Minister bemoan the tarnish "on Christianity left by the persecution of Jews, "and with the next breath refuse asylum "to Jewish refugees?” When Chaim Weizmann comes to London, he actually writes to Manchester. Beg your pardon. He writes to her about the Aliens Commission. Because many Jews gave evidence, many Jews who were part of the establishment. And next week, I’m going to look with you at how British Jews dealt with Zionism and how German Jews dealt with Zionism. “I wish you wouldn’t ask me "how English Jewry is reacting to all this. "They are petrified. "They are committing a second pogrom. "They are giving money on condition "that their unfortunate Russian brethren "do not immigrate to England. "I lack the words to express my indignation.”

They were actually paying Jews to be repatriated or even more so to go on to America. I’m quoting now from Isaiah Berlin. “Balfour believed that the roots of the Jewish problem "was their unwillingness to integrate fully. "He told the House of Commons that the state of things "could all easily be envisaged. "And it would not be to the advantage "of the civilization of the country "that should an immense body of persons "who however patriotic, able and industrious, "however much threw themselves into the national life "still by their own actions remained a people apart, "not merely hold a religion differing from the vast majority "of their fellow countrymen, "but only intermarrying amongst themselves.” You see, this is the debate that still goes on. And this is a letter written at the time of the Aliens Act. “The Jews were not only a most gifted race, "but have proved themselves ready and able "to take part in the national religious and civil life "of the countries in which they settle.” He was sorry that they didn’t intermarry because it was a misfortune for the country. Now don’t forget, he had been Prime Minister in 1903 when Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain weighed, decided to offer the Jews a homeland in the East African territories. What was interesting is that, of course, it was the Zionists who rejected the Uganda Offer. Just before he lost the premiership in 1905. he meets with Chaim Weizmann. And they met again in January, 1906.

And he began to understand why Uganda was not an option. And this is Isaiah Berlin’s analysis of his support for Zionism. “Balfour is a connoisseur of ideas. "He has a deep knowledge of the Hebrew Bible from his mother "who was an evangelical Christian. "His knowledge and sentiment also strengthened "by his Scottish upbringing "and also at his time as Chief Secretary for Ireland.” It also fitted in with his own . Now, this meeting he had with Chaim Weizmann. Of course, Weizmann talks about the meeting in “Trial and Error.” And he reports it, first of all, to his fiance in a letter. This is a letter on the 9th of January, 1906. “I had a meeting with Balfour today "and had a long, difficult, interesting talk with him "about Zionism. "He explained that he sees no political difficulties "in the attainment of Palestine, only economic difficulties. "Nothing new otherwise.” And so in “Trial and Error” 40 years later, he writes this. “Balfour asked me, ”‘Why are some Jews so bitterly opposed to Uganda?’ “I replied. "I plunged into a long harangue "as to the meaning of Zionism. "I dwelt on the spiritual side. "Nothing but a deep religious conviction "expressed in modern political terms "could keep the movement alive. "Any deflection from Palestine was, well, "a form of idolatry. "I added that if Moses had come "into the Sixth Zionist Congress, "he would surely have broken the tablets once again. "Then suddenly I said, ‘Mr. Balfour, ”'supposing I was to offer you Paris instead of London, “'would you take it?’ "He sat up and looked at me and answered, ”‘But Dr. Weizmann, we have London.’ “‘That is true,’ I said. ”‘But we had Jerusalem when London was a marsh.’

“He then asked, ‘Are there many Jews like you?’ "I answered, ‘I believe I speak for the minds of millions ”'of Jews who you will never see.’ “To this he replied, ‘If that is so, ”'you will one day be a force.’ “Balfour said, ‘It’s curious. ”'The Jews I meet are quite different.’ “I answered, ‘Mr. Balfour, you meet the wrong kind of Jew.’” Now also, his big worry had been that Jews couldn’t integrate. This is a remark he made to Harold Nicholson. “The Jews have many natural material attributes, "a wide spiritual foundation, but only one idea. "The idea is to return to Zion. "By depriving them of that idea, "the world has diminished their virtue "and stimulated their defects. "If we can help them attain their ideal, "we shall restore to them their dignity. "Upon the basis of this dignity, "their intelligence will cease to be merely acquisitive "and will become creative. "The New Jerusalem will become a centre of intelligence "and Judea an asylum for the oppressed.” Let me repeat this to you. Because remember, this man is a serious philosopher. And many of the ideas that he expresses here tragically have been taken on by a lot of Jews who were so desperate to be, excuse me, to be part of British society. “The Jews have many material attributes, "a wide spiritual foundation, but only one idea. "The idea is to return to Zion. "By depriving them of that idea, "the world has dismissed their virtue "and stimulated their defects. "If we can help them attain their ideal, "we shall restore to them their dignity. "Upon the basis of this dignity, "their intelligence will cease to be merely acquisitive,” the stereotype of the Jew, remember, “and will become creative.

"The New Jerusalem will become a centre of intelligence, "and Judea will become an asylum for the oppressed.” And of course, Arthur Balfour becomes a very important figure. And this is Jonathan Schneer, who’s written a very interesting book on the Balfour Declaration. This is what he said. “A.J. Balfour looms largely in the history of Zionism "for the declaration that bears his name, "for his role in events leading up to its release, "and for his sympathetic attitude afterwards. "Yet he seems an odd protagonist, as he obviously was, "of the aristocratic Cecil political dynasty "which began in the 16th century with Lord Burghley, "the advisor to Queen Elizabeth I, "and extended down the years to Balfour’s uncle, "the 3rd Marquess of Salisbury "who had served as conservative Prime Minister "after Disraeli.” That fits it into the whole pattern. “The line that continues through the presentation "with Balfour himself as its most eminent representative "among a stable of successful relatives "who’s served in Parliament, The Foreign Office, "and the Diplomatic Corps.” And this is a letter he wrote to his niece, Blanche Dugdale, who becomes a great Zionist and also was the woman who put together all her uncle’s memoirs and wrote books about him. “I have never pretended "that it was from materialistic considerations "that the declaration originally sprung. "I regard this not as a solution, but as a partial solution "of the great and abiding Jewish problem. "I do not deny that this is an adventure. "Are we never to have adventures?

"Are we never to try new experiments? "Surely it is an order that may send a message "to every land where the Jewish race has been scattered, "a message that will tell them that Christendom "is not oblivious of their faith, "is not unmindful of the service they have rendered "to the great religions of the world, "that we desire to the best of our ability "to give them the opportunity of developing in peace "under British rule those great gifts "which hitherto they have been compelled "to bring to fruition "in countries that know not their language "and belong not to their race. "That is the ideal I desire to be accomplished. "This is the aim which I lay at the root of the policy "I’m trying to defend. "Though it be indefensible on every ground, "that is the ground that chiefly moves me.” And this is in 1922, he writes this when already there’s huge problems about the Balfour Declaration and Palestine. “Men ask themselves "how the country be made physically adequate "to be the home for the self-development "of the Jewish people. "The problem presents difficulties, "which I should myself regard as overwhelming "were we dealing with another people "with different conditions. "Oh, what are the necessities? "One is skill, knowledge, perseverance, enterprise. "The other is capital. "I’m perfectly convinced "that when you are talking of the Jews, "you will find no want of any of these recognisable things. "Of skill, of knowledge, of all the most modern methods "can teach in the way of engineering or agriculture, "the Jewish race, "who have themselves contributed to the result, "can easily make themselves the master. "When I consider capital, "I’m not thinking of the great millionaires. "I doubt not they would do their duty. "But I’m thinking of the innumerable Jews "in the poorest circumstances "who out of poverty are prepared to contribute "to the success of the endeavour.” And after, even after the Balfour Declaration and the change of government, it becomes a liberal government, nevertheless, he supports Zionism to the end.

He visits Palestine. And his relationship with Weizmann goes on. So Arthur Balfour, it’s fascinating that today, he has become such a maligned character. A very complicated man, aesthetic, brilliant, very much keeping himself apart from everyone else. And yet, his religious Christian background comes through. And who was the character who impressed him so much? And of course, it was the extraordinary Chaim Weizmann. And please don’t forget that Leonard Stein, Weizmann’s biographer, said it was to him, it was all about a present to Weizmann. Now it is one of the factors, but believe me, it’s not the only factor. So can we see the next slide, please? Here, you see Chaim Weizmann, 1874 to 1952. Now, I’m sure most of you know his story. He’d been born in Motal near Pinsk. He was the third of 15 children. His father was a timber merchant. He was really very much part of the Jewish people. He went to Haida. He went to high school in Pinsk. He had a huge talent for sciences, especially chemistry. He turns to Zionism very, very early. There’s even a letter in Rehovot in the Weizmann Institute where he actually writes when he’s 11 years old, “We will turn to England. "England will help us.” Don’t forget that the Zionist Organisation, when Max Nordau opened the First Zionist Congress, he said, “There’s only one country in the world "free from the taint of antisemitism, "and that country is England.” Now, of course, that wasn’t true but that’s not the point. They all believed that the great British Empire would help them. So basically, he goes to Darmstadt to study. Then he moves to Berlin and he joins a circle of Zionist intellectuals. Then he moves to Switzerland. And he is at the Second Zionist Congress in Basel in 1898.

He is going to become one of the great lights of Zionism. And he’s awarded his PhD. He becomes an Assistant Lecturer. And finally in 1904, he becomes a Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester. And he chooses England. He chooses to come to England because he has faith in the English. And in Manchester, he’s going to make some very important contacts. He’s going to make contacts with characters like C.P. Scott, the editor of “The Manchester Guardian,” I’ll be talking about him later on, who was an avid Zionist. He meets up with Winston Churchill. They met actually at the… It was Churchill’s wife’s first outing as his wife. It was at a Jewish charity because Churchill was MP for North Manchester which had a huge Jewish population. In 1910, he becomes a British citizen. Churchill himself signed the papers. And he held British citizenship right up until he became President of Israel. In Britain, he was known as Charles Weizmann. And he registered over 100 patents in that name. So he, this passionate Zionist in the Zionist Organisation. After the death of Herzl, there was huge rancour between the various elements. You know, the Jews are fascinating. We can never agree on anything. And in the end, he teams up with another firebrand, a man called Vladimir Jabotinsky. And they create Synthetic Zionism. What they say is, “Yes, go ahead and try "and find a big power, "but go out there and till the land as well.” But he’s a very sophisticated man. He’s charming, he’s suave, he’s a great intellectual.

And he really does manage to seduce many of the people he meets, including Arthur Balfour. So he’s in England. But even more important, he invents his most important invention, the production of acetone, which was used in the manufacture of cordite, which is going to be critical to the British war efforts. And it’s that that gives Weizmann open access to senior ministers. Don’t forget, Churchill by then was in the War Cabinet. And Weizmann, he was, of course, Minister for the Navy. And Weizmann was Director of the Admiralty Labs from 1916 to 1919. He was instrumental in establishing a scientific institute in Rehovot. It was called the Daniel Sieff Institute. Later, they named it in his honour. And it was he who offered a post to the great Fritz Haber, you know, great in terms of his intellectual abilities. But, of course, it was he who had created poison gas for the German Army. And when in 1934 he is forced to leave Germany, he didn’t have to leave in ‘33 because until Hindenburg died, any Jew who’d been part of the war effort was allowed to keep their jobs. He was head, of course, of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin. A tragic character. He converted to Christianity. He wanted to be German. And in the end, when he’s forced to flee, there was only one man who offered him a job. And it was Chaim Weizmann. But he died in Switzerland, en route.

And ironically, the great Albert Einstein who, by the way, went fundraising with Chaim Weizmann for Palestine, for the Jewish had settlement in Palestine. Another time. And Einstein said to Haber, “Why did you hug the blonde beast too close?” So he becomes head of the democratic faction. In Manchester, he becomes friendly with Harry Sackett, Israel Sieff, Simon Marks, and of course C.P. Scott. So he’s creating a great coterie of Anglo Jews who are going to become important in the history of Zionism. He had a friendship with Asher Ginsberg, better known as Ahad Ha'am, who was working in London for the Wissotzky Tea Company. And, of course, it was Ahad Ha'am who, maybe he set us up because he said, “The justification for the Jewish state "is it become the moral, spiritual, and intellectual wellspring of the diaspora "that will shed light to the whole world.” What Ahad Ha'am dreamt of was the creation of the Great State. And Weizmann often visited him at his home in Hampstead. This is what Weizmann said when he first visited Palestine, “A state cannot be created by decree, "but by the forces of a people in the course of generations. "Even if all governments of the world gave us a country, "it would only be a gift of words. "But if the Jewish people will go to build Palestine, "the Jewish State will become a reality, a fact.” So, and this is what C.P. Scott said of him, “Extraordinarily interesting, a rare combination "of idealism and the severely practical, "which are the two essentials of statesmanhip, "a clear conception of Jewish nationalism, "an intense and burning sense of the Jew as a Jew, "just as strong, perhaps more so, "as that of the German as a German "and as the English as an Englishman.”

So you’ve got quite an extraordinary story. Now, Isaiah Berlin. I’m trying to find you what Isaiah Berlin said about him? This is what he wrote. I know I often mention Isaiah Berlin, but he is my hero. Because Isaiah Berlin, of course, knew Weizmann. “No one who spent any length of time in his company "could doubt he was in the presence "of a prodigiously endowed personality, "a human being with an intellect more massive and powerful, "a will stronger and more concentrated, "emotions richer and more responsible, "above all, a view of human affairs larger and more profound "than are commonly to be found "in even the most capable and successful men. "In short, in the presence of a statesman of genius. "The capacity for defying obstacles "and dominating history by willpower "and the ignoring of complexities is a quality "both in Jabotinsky and Trotsky. "They’d become legendary heroes "not merely in the eyes of their followers, "but in their own.” But he goes on to say, “Chaim Weizmann was the opposite. "Herzl received homage in part "because although he was a Jew, "some of his qualities were those "of a gloriously free, noble Gentile. "Weizmann possessed qualities. "Jewish to the highest possible degree, "he was sceptical, ironic, acute, "humane, perspicacious, brilliant, "and possessed a capacity "for understanding both human beings and situations "given to no one else in the 20th century. "He understood his people through and through.

"He knew their virtues and vices, and were attached to both. "Everything that was exotic, exaggerated, "fanatical, obsessive, unnaturally intense "repelled his sane, humorous, harmonious, "realistic, generously constructed nature. "Where the inspired leaders burnt with a violent flame,” I think he’s talking about Jabotinsky and Trotsky, “Weizmann preserved an exquisite sense of proportion. "Was my Weizmann a man of the right or a left? "The question appears meaningless. "He was a national leader.” Now, this of course, we will be dealing with Chaim Weizmann many, many more times. But the way I wanted to start this presentation is to talk about these two big personalities, Balfour and Weizmann, who developed this relationship that does in the end lead to the giving of the Balfour Declaration. But let’s begin to talk about some of the other reasons. Can we see the next slide, please? Can you go on, please? That was Lord Walter Rothschild. Remember, the declaration was actually given to him. He was a Zionist and king of the Jews, of course. And it was at the Royal Opera House. And the Balfour Declaration was seen as a triumph for world Jewry, by the way, by Jews all over the world. The question is, what was the document? And I’m going to show you later on that in 1939, the British said, “We didn’t really mean anything by it anyway.” So let’s go on. Sir Maurice de Bunsen. There’s a war on. There are many, many practicalities.

Maurice de Bunsen, who’s the second son of an English aristocrat and her German husband who was an ambassador to Britain, educated at the usual story: English public school, Oxford. He entered the Diplomatic Service. He’s important because he heads up the De Bunsen Committee in 1915 to determine policy towards the Ottoman Empire. And the most important character in the committee was, in fact, Sir Mark Sykes. I’ll talk about him at the next session. And what he’s going to work on is what are British aspirations if they win the war? And it’s Sykes who goes off to the Middle East and to the Near East. He goes to India. He goes to Cairo which, of course, is British. He goes to Basra. He goes to Aden. He wants information. But the real task of the De Bunsen Committee, it includes men from the Foreign Office, men with Indian interests, the Admiralty, Board of Trade, and also Kitchener, Secretary of State for War. They issue the report on the 30th of June, 1915. “And concerning Palestine, Palestine must be recognised "as a country where destiny might be the subject "of special negotiations, "which both the belligerents and neutrals "have likewise interests.” Now, basically, what the De Bunsen Report says, and it wasn’t released for many years, is the main British policy in the Middle East. Don’t forget the Dream of Empire from Suez to India and oil was to stop Russian and French empire building. Now this is actually quite peculiar, is it not? Because, think about it. Who were allied to the British? The French and the Russians. So no, what the British don’t want is the French and the Russians to have empires in the Middle East. They want it all for themselves. Can you go on, please? Next slide. Now this is Sir Henry McMahon.

Now he’s a British diplomat. No, go back to Henry McMahon, please. First of all, he was an Army officer in India. He was educated at Haileybury College, which was the successor to the East India Company College. Both his father and grandfather had been officers in the East India Company. Then he goes to Sandhurst. He was a quiet, brilliant, soft-spoken man. But he spoke Persian, Arab, Afghani, Hindustani, and later on Arabic. In 1911, he becomes Foreign Secretary to the government of India. In 1915, he is High Commissioner of Egypt. Now, he enters into correspondence with this next man. Please, can we go on? Next slide. This is Emir Hussein bin Ali, Shariff of Mecca. Now, he comes from one of the most important Arab families. In the aftermath of the Young Turk Revolution of 1908, he’s appointed Shariff of Mecca. Now, Shariff means high born. He is meant to be the descendant of the prophet. His main duty is to ensure the safety of the pilgrims on Hajj. This appointment goes back 1,000 years to the Abbasid Dynasty. So he’s appointed by the Young Turks, but his relationship with them is deteriorating partially because they are trying to turkify the empire. They want to centralise the empire. And also, they begin a policy of persecution of minorities, including Arabs. He writes letters and sends his son, excuse me, to Cairo mainly to look at plots to overthrow the family. And what he does is he promises the British that if the British will promise him an empire after the defeat of the Turks, he will side with them. Can we go onto the next slide, please?

Here you see the map. I want you to look at it very, very carefully. The British government, remember, there is no boundaries as you know them today, they are going to divide up the Middle East. It’s all a bit ambiguous. But in return for revolting against the Turks, they promised the family an empire centred on Damascus that was once the seat of the most important of the Arab dynasties, the Umayyad. And with his two sons, Faisal and Abdullah, helped by… Can we see the next slides, please? That’s his third son, Faisal. Later on, he becomes king of Iraq. Lawrence of Arabia, of course. Let’s have a look at the next slide. Next slide. That’s his second son, Abdullah, who later becomes King of Jordan. All right, let’s stop there. You begin to realise why it sounds like a fantasy. So you have these characters in London, Weizmann and Balfour. You have Weizmann creating a circle of interest. You have the British government saying, “How are our best interests served?” And now they make a deal with the Arabs. How come? 17 months later, they issued the Balfour Declaration. And I will be talking about that next week. So let’s have a look at questions. I hope you enjoyed the film, by the way.

Q&A and Comments:

This is Serena. “I heard a clip about the Balfour Declaration "where the closed caption transcribed it "as the Gulf War Declaration. "Apparently, our AI had never heard "of the Balfour Declaration.”

Shelly, “I’ve been watching a number of YouTube videos "on the show on World War II. "There are always comments afterwards "about how the Israelis are doing genocide. "It’s so depressing.” Yes, I’ve lectured on this at length actually. It’s a very strange phenomenon. It began in Russia, believe it or not, the Soviet propaganda equating Zionism with Nazism. And don’t forget that Abbas, who studied at the Patrice Lumumba University in Moscow, his thesis was on the collaboration of Zionism and Nazism. It’s absolute balderdash. But if you tell a lie often enough, and it’s a big enough lie, it will be believed. Think Goebbels.

Rosenbergs, you liked the film. The year of the film is 1911. Naomi says “There’s no need for a mechitza.” I’m going to be talking about mechitzas when we come to 1929, by the way.

Oh, this is from Sarah. “My great-grandfather from Manchester "was on the Second Dalia. "He died of starvation. "He’s buried on the Mount of Olives.” Oye.

Q: “I have often wondered what Balfour hoped to gain personally "for his conservative party by the declaration. "Was it favour from the Jews for support, or something else?”

A: Michael, he was no longer conservative. It was a liberal government. It was kind of a coalition government. He was the only Tory in it. And I think it’s way beyond that. Look, he was a philosopher. It was spirituality. I think he really, I think Balfour believed in it. But don’t forget they had the empire. They believed it was theirs. The world was theirs. God is an Englishman.

Q: And this is from Robin, “Who was the Western-dressed dowager?”

A: She was Mrs. Rosenberg.

Thank you, Marian. “The Balfour Project organised in Britain "which aims for an apology by Britain "for the Balfour Declaration was set up, I believe, "by Rev. Sizer, then priest at Virginia Water, now Ascot.

"Sizer has been banned from serving until 2030 "for posting antisemitic material. "Another illustrious person with him "on the early steering group was Jenny Tonge. "The project’s website employs the word peace, "which is sometimes used by anti-Zionists "and antisemites to hide their aim for peace.” Yeah. Unfortunately, we are dealing with some terribly nasty, ignorant characters. I have had the misfortune of meeting Jenny Tonge. I will not say anymore. I don’t want to be sued for libel.

“Today’s Balfour Project supports a two-state solution.” The Al-Aqsa Mosque was in terrible disrepair. It shows it to you. “My grandfather came to Palestine in 1932 "with his new 60 millimetre Kodak "and took lovely movies of Tel Aviv. "One has to read Mark Twain "when he wrote about the Holy Land "and also his essay on the Jewish nation.” Yes, it’s fascinating what he wrote. Yes. Yes, of course, Allenby entered Jerusalem. He made a statement declaring equal rights and status of all three religions. Yes.

“The British have no friends and have no enemies. "They only have interests, self-interests.” Well, you’ve got to think in terms of… Look it’s fascinating. By 1925, Britain had the largest empire in the world. That was the empire at its peak. It’s a fascinating story how that little island, probably because it industrialised 100 years before everyone else, created the largest empire in the world. Fascinating story.

Diane, “Weizmann was a brilliant chemist "who invented the process of industrial fermentation, "which produced acetone. "Acetone meant that he gained entrance "to the highest level in British society.

Q: "With Balfour showing appreciation "of Britain winning World War I, "could you say that Israel owes his existence to acetone?”

A: Well, certainly, that’s what Leonard Stein thought. But I think it’s much more complex than that. And I’m having to pull together lots of different threads. And you’re going to have to make your own minds up as to which one you give most credence to. “Balfour is accusing Jews of being acquisitive "of intellect and knowledge. "We can’t win.” We have won. We’ve been around since the beginning. We’ll be here at the end. You know, I’m getting to the stage now, I know what’s going on out there. Every day, I get hopeless messages. The liberal left have gone completely crazy in my opinion. But this too will pass. I had a note from Howard Jacobson today. I’d sent him a despairing note and he wrote back and said, he believes the tide is beginning to turn. Let’s hope he’s right.

Oh, I love this, Michael. “Far ahead of Henry Kissinger, Balfour was a master "of constructive ambiguity.” Yes, Elliot’s pointing out that men and women prayed together. The mechitza was set up in 1929. And ironically, it sparked the Arab revolts of 1929 when there was terrible massacres. Because they said it was a desecration of a Muslim holy site, the mufti. “During World War II, schoolchildren were sent out "to collect horse chestnuts "that became essential for the production of acetone.” Again, something that Weizmann worked out, yeah.

Q: “How meaningful is the Balfour Declaration now?”

A: Well, the Balfour Declaration is important because it’s ratified by the League of Nations, if the League of Nations has any import at all. But I think we’re going to find as we wind our way through all of this, it is a pretty meaningless declaration. “His Majesty’s Government views with favour "the establishment in Palestine of a national home.”

Dennis says, “A principal Jewish social and sporting club "in Joburg is Balfour Park. "A fellow antisemitic Brit, General Lloyd Wingate, "is similarly honoured.” Yes.

Thank you, Carolyn, thank you.

Sykes-Picot: I’m going to be talking about the Sykes-Picot Agreement next week. There’s so much information on this. I’m hoping I can do it in two presentations. Because we have to look at the promises to the Arabs. We have to look at the Sykes-Picot Agreement, the deal with the French. And then we have to look again at the Balfour Declaration and all those extraordinary individuals who were involved in it all. I hope I’m being as coherent as possible.

Thank you. The context of the film as far as we know, Diane, is that the Rosenbergs went travelling in the land with their camera, and they just took pictures. Oh, Denise. She hasn’t been well. “To my friends in our lockdown community, I was very ill. "But I’m back. "I miss you all.” Oh, bless you. Denise. Wish you better. “

Q: What motivation?”

A: I think he believed it was a good idea. He liked Weizmann. Remember, his mother was an evangelical. Lloyd George, Lloyd George was Prime Minister at the time. He was an evangelical. I mean, Williams talked to you about this. Evangelical Christians, it’s weird, but they believe the Second Coming will not happen until the Jews are returned to their homeland.

Monty says, “Integration of the people "are part of British obsession. "Still active today, they always find someone.” In fact, what I’m going to be lecturing on in the next few weeks is the Jews of Britain and Zionism in the '20s and '30s, the Jews of Germany and Zionism in the '20s and '30s. I talked about Nili last time, Etti. You can get it on the website. I gave a whole presentation on it.

Oh, this is from Tony, “My first visit to LU.” Thank you, Tony.

“The country club in Pretoria created to accept Jews "is called the Wingate Country Club.”

Anyway, thank you all very much. Thanks, Georgie. And I will see you all next week. Lots of love.