Fatah calls on Palestinians to write letters protesting event marking centenary of Balfour Declaration

Image and text posted on the official Fatah Facebook page

Posted text:
“After the immoral and unfair declarations by British Prime Minister [Theresa] May (see note below –Ed.), according to which her country will celebrate ‘with pride’ the 100th anniversary of the issuing of the famous Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), in which [then] British Foreign Secretary ‘ Arthur Balfour’ in 1917 promised the support of his country to provide the Jews with a homeland in Palestine.
This is a call to all of the friends of the Palestinian people and those who identify with it to send a letter of protest to the Albert Royal Hall, where this celebration will take place on Nov. 7, 2017 (the email address of the hall is included in the post –Ed.).”

The image shows the Fatah logo for the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which is a white circular logo with a keffiyeh (Arab headdress) pattern on it. Inside the circle appears the number “100” with the PA map of “Palestine” that presents all of Israel as “Palestine” together with the PA areas in place of the “1.” A red dot appears on the map with the label “Jerusalem” in English and Arabic. The numbers “00” have an image of what appear to be Palestinian refugees imposed on them. Above and below the number “100” in English and Arabic respectively is the hashtag “#Balfour100,” indicating the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. Above and below the circular logo in Arabic and English respectively is the phrase: “A promise from those who do not own to those who are not entitled” (The English slogan is Fatah’s own translation –Ed.)
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British Prime Minister Theresa May’s exact quote before the British House of Commons on Oct. 25, 2017, was: “We are proud of the role that we played in the creation of the State of Israel, and we will certainly mark the centenary with pride.”

The Balfour Declaration of Nov. 2, 1917 was a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Baron Rothschild stating that “His Majesty's government views with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” In 1922, the League of Nations adopted this and made the British Mandate “responsible for putting into effect the declaration,” which led to the UN vote in 1947 and the establishment of the State of Israel.