British public urged to join demonstration marking Balfour Declaration centenary

The British public have been urged to join a demonstration in London next month marking the centenary of the Balfour Declaration which pledged support from Britain for a Jewish national home in Palestine.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Stop The War, and UK's largest trade unions are among the organisations and supporters of the protest.

The demonstration is the centrepiece of a wider series of actions by a large number of organisations around the country marking 100 years since the Balfour Declaration and highlighting widespread and systematic rights violations at the hands of the Israeli state as a result.

This year also marks 50 years since the start of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem, and 10 years since the siege on Gaza began.

Speakers will include various politicians and union heads, as well as filmmaker John Pilger and activist Mustafa Barghouti.

PSC director Ben Jamal has condemned inaction by the British government and called on them to fulfil their responsibilities towards the Palestinian people. 

"The centenary of the Balfour Declaration reminds us of Britain's historic complicity in establishing a process that has led to the dispossession of the Palestinian people.

"I urge the public to join us on November 4th in calling for Britain to recognise its complicity as well as its responsibilities now, as a key member of the international community, to place meaningful pressure on Israel to end the occupation, abide by international law and cease its violations of the human rights of Palestinians."

The demonstration will start at noon at Hyde Park on November 4. Follow the demonstration on Twitter with #Balfour100 and #MakeItRight.

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