Balfour’s Shadow. A Century of British Support for Zionism and Israel

A public programme with author David Cronin at the occasion of his new book ‘Belfour’s shadow’ as well as the 100-year anniversary of the Balfour Declaration.

In November 1917, Britain caused one of the great fault lines in the Middle East. A declaration signed by Arthur James Balfour, then foreign secretary, favoured the establishment of a ‘Jewish national home’ in Palestine, a predominantly Arab land.

David Cronin’s new book, Balfour’s Shadow, provides a trenchant critique of Britain’s 100-year-old support for the Zionist colonisation project. Unearthing facts neglected by many historians, Cronin documents Britain’s frequently brutal conduct when it ruled Palestine between the two world wars. Such brutality facilitated the dispossession of Palestinians and spawned injustices that have been allowed to fester.

Britain’s relationship with the Zionist movement has proven resilient, despite periods of hostility. A century ago Britain was the chief imperial sponsor of the Zionist project; today some of Britain’s key policies on ‘defense’ rely on Israeli-designed weapons. Balfour’s Shadow traces the evolution of an intriguing alliance with lethal consequences.

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