PLO Chief Negotiator: “Ominous” Balfour Declaration inspires Israel to “acts of ethnic cleansing and ending the Palestinian existence”
Official PA TV News
Official PA TV Newsreader: "[Fatah Central Committee member and PLO Executive Committee Secretary Saeb] Erekat's statements were made in response to the anniversary of the ominous Balfour Promise (i.e., Declaration), in which he pointed out that this promise still inspires the occupation government to continue the acts of ethnic cleansing and ending the Palestinian existence."
Text on screen: "Is the ‘racist [Jewish] Nation-State’ Law the legitimate son of the Balfour Promise and an instrument for its implementation?"
Saeb Erekat also holds the position of PLO Chief Negotiator.
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.
Jewish Nation-State Law – law passed by the Israeli Parliament on July 19, 2018, which codifies in Israel's Basic Law that Israel is the home of the Jewish nation with Jerusalem its capital, and the Hebrew calendar its official calendar. It establishes Hebrew as the sole official language and grants Arabic a special status, and it recognizes Jewish and Israeli holidays, memorial days, and the Jewish Sabbath as national holidays and days of rest - while guaranteeing the right of all Israeli citizens and residents to celebrate their holidays and days of rest. The law, which passed with 62 in favor, 55 against, and 2 abstentions, has sparked controversy within Israeli society.