Centenary of the Balfour Declaration

Thank you for contacting me about the Centenary of the Balfour Declaration.

I think it is right that the UK marks the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. It was a founding stepping stone towards the creation of a national homeland for a people that had suffered persecution for centuries and sadly would see far worse in the following decades.

However, I know the Government understands the sensitivities which exist. The Government continues to support a two-state solution with a state of Israel, as the Jewish homeland, and a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. The Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, reiterated this position when he visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in March. I would like to assure you that it has long been the UK position that Israeli settlement activity is illegal under international law. Settlement activity by Israel undermines the viability of the principle of two states for two peoples.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.