PRESS RELEASE
Christians United for Israel UK has launched #IAmBalfour campaign ahead of Wednesday’s 99th Anniversary of the signing of the Balfour Declaration.
The year-long campaign marks the centenary year and provides supporters of Israel an opportunity to declare solidarity with the UK’s one hundred year support of Israel, seeks to raise awareness and urges the British Government to uphold its commitment to Israel and the Jewish people – without apology.
#IAmBalfour is urging people to put their name to an online declaration that will be presented to the UK Government and Israeli Embassy in 2017.
CLICK HERE to sign the declaration
It follows recent calls from the anti-Israel lobby for Britain to apologise. In September 2016, the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly that Britain should apologise for the Balfour Declaration. And last week a campaign for Britain to apologise was launched at a meeting in Parliament hosted by Baroness Tonge.
The Balfour Declaration, published on 2 November 1917, was a letter addressed by Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to the Zionist Federation that proclaimed Britain would support the establishment of “a national home for the Jewish people”. This declaration paved the way for Israel to be reborn as a nation.
CUFI-UK Executive Director, Des Starritt says, “The #IAmBalfour campaign gives people in the UK and abroad an opportunity to make their own personal declaration of support for Israel. The 1917 Balfour Declaration is a very significant document that should be celebrated as it represents Britain’s important role in the formation of the State of Israel. To call for Britain to apologise is effectively to deny the Jewish people’s historic right to their homeland. This #IAmBalfour campaign is also timely following UNESCO’s recent decision to remove the Jewish connection to Jerusalem’s holy sites. This re-writing of history and blatant attempt to delegitimise Israel is something we cannot allow to go unchallenged. We call for supporters of Israel everywhere to affirm Britain’s role past and present in standing with Israel.”
For further information and updates about the campaign go to www.cufi.org.uk/IAmBalfour
