Balfour Declaration

American  

noun

1. a statement, issued by the British government on November 2, 1917, favoring the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jews but without prejudice to the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine.

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Balfour Declaration British  

noun

1. the statement made by Arthur Balfour in 1917 of British support for the setting up of a national home for the Jews in Palestine, provided that the rights of "existing non-Jewish communities" in Palestine could be safeguarded

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Example Sentences

The British tradition of Christian Zionism laid the foundation for the Balfour Declaration, and eventually the state of Israel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 11, 2025

Compare the two positions and explain why some Jewish people would have favored the Balfour Declaration while others did not.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

In 1917, Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour pledged to the Zionist movement to establish a Jewish national home in what became known as the Balfour Declaration.

From BBC • Oct. 6, 2022

In November, we have the Russian Revolution and the Balfour Declaration, and this week marks the 500th year since Martin Luther challenged the Roman Catholic Church with his 95 theses.

From Washington Post • Oct. 30, 2017

He stated that he was not a Zionist, but was in full sympathy with the Balfour Declaration to secure a homeland in Palestine with equal civil and religious rights for all nationalities.

From Under Four Administrations From Cleveland to Taft by Straus, Oscar S.