It states, .
"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 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." (www.) .
It was one of the most important documents ever written concerning the Holy Land. It announced that the British government favored the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and would do all it could to make it happen. .
Meanwhile throughout the world, but especially in Europe, Jews were persecuted and murdered. For example, The Spanish Inquisition, which forced thousands of Jews back into the holy land to hide from persecution. Soon after, thousands more fled persecution and returned to their native land. Many Arabs whom had already been living in Palestine were angered by what they saw as a Jewish invasion. They attacked Jewish farm settlements, villages and cities. The British troops occupying Palestine did not intervene between the Arabs and the Jews. Instead the British supported the Arabs against the Jews, and the Jews against the Arabs. (Silverman, 61-67) As more Jews arrived, the economy grew and attracted Arabs to immigrate to Palestine. However, while the Jews were returning to their homeland, Arab nationalism was growing. Palestine's Arabs rejected the Balfour Declaration, even though they themselves had little interest in a state of their own at the time. Before long, the Arabs opposed the establishment of any Jewish State in the Middle East. (Goldschmidt, 158).
After 1945 and the Holocaust, which left 6 million Jewish men, women and children dead, the cause for a Jewish homeland, where Jews could be free of persecution gained momentum, mostly because of British and American feelings of guilt after the war.
