Chairman Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority claims that the Balfour Declaration, published on November 2, 1917, is not an event to be celebrated.
Writing in Britain's Guardian on Wednesday, Abbas said, "The Balfour declaration is not something to be celebrated – certainly not while one of the peoples affected continues to suffer such injustice. The creation of a homeland for one people resulted in the dispossession and continuing persecution of another – now a deep imbalance between occupier and occupied. The balance must be redressed, and Britain bears a great deal of responsibility in leading the way. Celebrations must wait for the day when everyone in this land has freedom, dignity and equality."