Balfour Declaration: A Case of Missed Opportunity

Western historians have generally acknowledged this fact. For instance, recognising the contribution of the role of the Arabs, Robert Briffault writes, ‘It is highly probable that but for the Arabs, modern industrial civilization would never have arisen at all.’ (Robert Briffault, The Making of Humanity, p. 190) How did the Arabs perform this extraordinary role in the field of learning, mainly when no such academic tradition existed among them? The answer is that they achieved this feat through their collaboration with others, such as the Christian and Jewish scholars who worked in the institutions established by the Arabs in Iraq, Egypt, and Spain. The result of this joint contribution is the grand academic history of medieval times, based on which Western Europe made tremendous progress. (Philip K. Hitti, History of the Arabs, Macmillan Press, 1979) In the wake of the Balfour Declaration, a similar opportunity presented itself to the Palestinians but blinded by their emotions, their Arab leaders misled them and launched them on the path of confrontation rather than collaboration. The Muslim failure to avail of this opportunity resulted in futile activities, which culminated in great destruction. While God had commanded in the Quran, ‘ If they should be inclined to make peace, make peace with them, and put your trust in God.’ (8:61) A comparison between the two parts of Palestine— one under Arab rule and the other under Jewish rule—