Palestinian campaign to force UK to cancel Balfour celebrations

The Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad (PCPA) and a number of Palestinian groups are gearing up for a coordinated digital campaign set to take place on Wednesday evening to mark 100 years since the Balfour Declaration was issued by Lord Arthur Balfour, promising the Jews a national home in Palestine.

Using the hashtag #Balfour100, social media users will be calling on the UK government to apologise for the Balfour Declaration and the British colonisation of Palestine and demanding the cancellation of one of the largest Zionist celebrations of the Declaration, set to take place on 7 November at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The social media activity is part of a broader campaign launched by PCPA two months ago entitled “Balfour: A Colonial Project” and will run until 20 November with the aim of raising awareness about the historic, political and legal meaning of the Balfour Declaration and reiterating Britain’s historical and political responsibility for the Declaration and its repercussions on Palestine.

PCPA’s digital action is one of a series of campaigns launched by Palestinians abroad this year to highlight the impact of the Balfour Declaration on Palestine and its residents.

The UK-based Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) today announced the release of a short film “100 Balfour Road”, produced as part of PRC’s Balfour Apology Campaign, in remembrance of the suffering and displacement of thousands of Palestinians as a result of the Balfour Declaration.

Read: Palestine, Britain & the Balfour Declaration 100 years on

The 12-minute film portrays a happy family in the suburbs of London enjoying an afternoon around the kitchen table, when a knock is heard at the front door. A government official wants the family’s help to assist a homeless family, but ends up kicking the family out and giving away their home. It is now available to watch on YouTube and PRC’s media platforms.

Earlier this year, PRC launched a petition which calls on the British government to apologise for the Balfour Declaration and to lead peace efforts in Palestine. It gained 10,000 signatures. In response, the British government refused to apologise for the Declaration while affirming it was “proud” of its role in the creation of the State of Israel.

The Balfour Declaration is an historic statement for which [Her Majesty’s Government] HMG does not intend to apologise. We are proud of our role in creating the State of Israel. The task now is to encourage moves towards peace.

This was later followed by the UK government body in charge of transport in the British capital, London, banning adverts which highlight Palestinians’ objections to the Balfour Declaration.