Fatah: “The promise of the Martyrs’ blood” trumps the “Balfour Promise"

Image and text posted on the Facebook page of Fatah Central Committee member Tawfiq Tirawi

The image shows former British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour on the left and the Balfour Declaration on the right.

Posted text: “On the anniversary of the Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), our people adheres to the Martyrs’ promise on the necessity of victory and freedom.In our dictionary we have no promise other than the promise of Heaven, the promise of the Martyrs’ blood – and there will be victory.”

Tawfiq Tirawi also serves as Fatah Commissioner of Popular Organizations.‎

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 favor of partitioning Mandatory Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state in 1947. In response, Britain ended its mandate on May 15, 1948, and the Palestinian Jews, who accepted the Partition Plan, declared the independent State of Israel. The Palestinian Arabs rejected the plan and together with 7 Arab states attacked Israel, in what is now known as Israel's War of Independence.