YOU ASKED AND WE ANSWERED
As promised, we are posting the remainder of the answers to the questions posted in the Q&A box.
Questions Answered:
Question 1: Was it a true public declaration or a private letter of support of the Zionist cause given to Rothschild?
Response by Andrew Tucker: The Balfour Declaration was an official statement by the government. I believe it was published on the date on which it was sent, but I can't be sure about that.
Question 2: Herzl and Zionism first come before HMG in the 1902 discussions on the Balfour admin's Aliens' Act - a reaction to Jewish refugees from Russian pogroms to which Herzl is offering a Zionist solution. Also, Weizmann first meets Balfour in the 1906 election campaign and neither forgets the Biblical experience. (1) Is Mr Tucker aware of these fore-runners? (2) Ditto the Herbert Samuel cabinet paper of Oct 1914 - a purely imperial suggestion?
Response by Andrew Tucker: I was aware of Balfour and Weizman's earlier meetings, and the personal connection that developed between them. But I was not aware of the discussion about the Aliens Act - thank you for informing me!
Question 3: Even if in 1917 the Balfour Declaration was only a letter between third parties, was it not given treaty and so legal force by being included in the Mandate - a substantive document unlike the merely advisory nature of the UN resolutions 242 and 194?
Response by Andrew Tucker: You are absolutely correct: the Balfour Declaration was incorporated into the Mandate: The Mandatory was required to put into effect the declaration originally made in November 1917 by the British Government, and subsequently adopted by the other Allied Powers, in favor of the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. It included several provisions specifying how Britain was to do so - eg. article 6, requiring Britain to facilitate Jewish immigration and encourage close settlement by Jews on the land. The Mandate was a treaty, binding on all the members of the League of Nations.
Question 4: Mr. Sandell, what do you see and understand that so many others fail to see? Is your understanding based upon religion or is it something else”?
Response by Tomas Sandell: Thank you for your appreciation. My understanding is based on a keen interest in the history of the Jewish people and many years of studies without any political bias. The question is more how I dare to express my conclusions in the public. Many could reach the same conclusions as I have (about the legal rights of the Jewish people) but are afraid of speaking out because of the anti-Israeli sentiments and political correctness of the day which is not based on facts but perceptions and flawed ideologies.
Question 5: Was San Remo referred to during persuasion of Truman re/ UN vote”?
Response by Tomas Sandell: Not at all. It is my understanding that the original minutes of the San Remo resolution were classified and hidden in the British archives until the 60´s and only made public much later by the work of Howard Grief and Jacques Gauthier around 2008. There seems to have been no real understanding at the time of the significance of the San Remo resolution for Jewish statehood.
Question 6: How, according to Tomas Sandell, the reconstitution of Israel is viewed today by many in the international community as an act of colonialization, whereas it was actually one of the first attempts by the int’l community at de-colonialization. To me, this is analogous to how the far left today views the American Revolution as an example of colonialization based on the idea that the founding of the U.S. was based on slavery and systemic racism; whereas in fact the American Revolution was one of the earliest, if not the earliest, example of the beginning of de-colonialization (of the British Empire specifically).
Response by Tomas Sandell: I can only concur with these comments and have nothing much to add other than what I said during the webinar.
Question 7:
(1) While the case being brought forward by Munib al-Masri in London is, by his own admission, "largely symbolic", do you know if any pro-Israel or Jewish group is monitoring it and if they have applied for standing in the court?" We, Jews,have tended to wave our hands and say "he's a nut", "it doesn't matter" etc., but even a non-binding "win" against the Balfour Declaration can be turned into a massive propaganda tool”.
(2) Palestinian Business Tycoon Munib Al-Masri On His Way To London To Sue Britain Over The 'Immoral And Illegal' Balfour Declaration, Having Won A Similar Case At A Nablus Court. We Jews have tended to wave our hands and say "he's a nut", "it doesn't matter" etc. but even a non-binding "win" against the Balfour Declaration can be turned into a massive propaganda tool. "While the case being brought forward by Munib al-Masri in London is by his own admission, "largely symbolic", do you know if any pro-Israel or Jewish group is monitoring it and if they have applied for standing in the court?”
Response by Itamar Marcus: I don't know if anyone is actively challenging it the court will even agree to hear it. But should they agree to hear it hopefully the reverse of what the PA hopes for will come out. The court should declare that recognizing the indigenous nature of the Jewish people in the land of Israel is recognizing simple truth while claiming that there was a Palestinian Arab people has no basis and no documentation and is all fiction written in the 1960s.
In addition, claiming that it was Balfour who was responsible for the state of Israel is really false as it was only its confirmation at San Remo etc. that gave it political power.
We are watching the case closely from the updates in the Palestinian media and if there's reason to intervene on some legal level at a later date we will notify lawyer's we work with in Britain.
Question 8: Why is this not offensive to all Christians as it invalidates Jesus and Christianity”?
Response by Itamar Marcus: When I make presentations to Christian audiences and show them that the PA has turned Jesus into a Palestinian Muslim they are definitely offended and horrified. Unfortunately the masses of the Christian world are not religious enough to be offended or to care.
And the religious ones who support the Palestinians against Israel often have a great hatred of Israel on religious grounds. Therefore the offence of calling Jesus a Muslim is less significant than their desire to weaken Israel and fight against the Jews which is what they feel they have a religious obligation to do.
Question 9: Did the PA step up its public statements about the Balfour Declaration this year to try and increase its popularity and relevance with Palestinians ---and distract from its failure to hold elections”?
Response by Itamar Marcus: Because of the unpopularity of the Palestinian authority and Mahmoud Abbas the PA has been raising the level of incitement, increasing its libels and lies, doing everything it can to create hatred and violence. It took advantage of the anniversary of the Balfour declaration to increase hatred on that topic. Since then it keeps finding new topics. The PA's goal is survival against the more popular Hamas and inciting hatred and terror against Israel is their way to compete against Hamas.
SOME ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK TOO MANY MORE TO QUOTE ALL
I was very, very impressed with your webinar. Especially with you and Itamar Marcus, who provided an eye-opening material….
I watched it spellbound the whole 2 hours! Learned a lot, my goodness did I get a lot of new information to take in and to digest....
I was very impressed with the 2 hour presentation. Can you forward the LINK to me, as I would like to share with my activists….
Keep doing what you're doing…. I never understood the Balfour Declaration. It made me feel good that we are not alone as Jews and that not every single human on this planet hates us.….. Listening to the speakers made me feel hopeful if even for a day…… I look forward to the next one.
Outstanding webinar….. Excellent Speakers. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity for more important learning.
JUST A FEW SNIPPETS — WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO: COUNTERING THE MENDICIOUS LIES
PA Minister of Education to kids: There is no Israel, “The entire land is ours, Read Here.
EU study finds incitement in Palestinian textbooks, kept from public. Read Here.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
WE JOIN THE CALL ON U OF T TO STAND UP FOR THE RIGHTS OF JEWISH STUDENTS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION, AND ANTISEMITISM / ANTIZIONISM
With the above, we come to the end our report on the webinar.
We hope that you have taken away enough information from our webinar and Q & A answers to feel confident to educate others about the truth. There is only one way to win this battle, and it is through education. Each and every one of us has a role to play. If each one of us only educates one other person (exponentially), about the truth that surrounds Israel’s rights to the land we can make a big difference in world view.
HAPPY SEASONAL GREETINGS
GOLDI, IRVING, AND THE CILR TEAM.