UK and Israeli experts to examine Balfour 100 years on

The causes and consequences of the Balfour Declaration will be examined in a major conference in Westminster, 100 years to the day since Britain issued the landmark statement expressing support for the creation of a Jewish national home.

Jewish News and BICOM are bringing together top speakers from the UK, Israel and the US to engage with a specially invited audience of policy makers, think tank representatives, journalists and diplomats from around the world.

Through a series of keynote speeches and panel discussions, the conference will analyse the causes and consequences of the Balfour Declaration, examine a century of British policy in the Middle East and assess the current challenges and future opportunities in the region including what comes after ISIS, the Syrian civil war and hopes for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

Get The Jewish News Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Among the speakers at the event – held in association with Balfour 100 – will be a senior UK government minister, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and Sir Simon McDonald, head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic service. 

They will be joined by former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Sir John Jenkins, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Major General Amos Gilead of the Interdisciplinary Centre Herzliya and former MK Dr Einat Wilf will travel from Israel and Chatham House’s Dr Claire Spencer and The Economist’s Anton La Guardia will also feature in the line-up.

BICOM’s chief executive James Sorene said: “This will be a unique event. To do [it] on the day of the Balfour Centenary will be something very special indeed.”

Simon Johnson, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “Balfour 100 is pleased to be associated with this important conference 100 years to the day since the Foreign Secretary sent his letter to Lord Rothschild, becoming the first Government anywhere to recognise Zionist aspirations for a Jewish home in Palestine.”

It is the third annual policy conference highlighting the UK-Israel relationship held by Jewish News and BICOM.

Jewish News’ Justin Cohen said: “This conference has played an important part in furthering dialogue about UK-Israel ties for the past three years and we’re delighted that this year’s gathering will be a major part of the schedule of events marking such an important moment in that relationship.”

Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Read more

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

Help us here