Perfidious Albion owes Palestine more than just recognition

The United Kingdom, along with Canada, Australia and Portugal recognised Palestinian statehood. But it is too little, too late — especially for the United Kingdom, responsible for the original sin in this biblical story of revenge and bloodshed. 

Last week, an extraordinary group ‘Britain Owes Palestine’, led by 91-year-old Munib Al Masri, a Palestinian who traces his family history back 800 years, and his grandson Munib Al Masri Jr, handed a 400-page document into 10 Downing St. That document details how, as contributing historian Avi Shlaim put it: "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict was made here, in Britain." 

Palestine’s tragedy began after the First World War, when Britain took over control of the Ottoman Empire. Zionist supporter Herbert Samuel had foreign secretary Arthur Balfour’s ear (familiar to us in Ireland as ‘Bloody Balfour’), and helped author the infamous 1917 ‘Balfour Declaration’, which essentially gave Palestine to the Zionist project. 

Read the full article on The Irish Examiner here.