1917 document issued by the British government and named for Lord Balfour, the British Foreign Secretary at the time. The Balfour Declaration stated that, "His Majesty's Government views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political status enjoyed by the Jews in any other country."

a declaration of 1917 by British Foreign Minister Balfour supporting for establishment of a "Jewish national home in Palestine" Check the Timeline

Statement by the foreign secretary Arthur Balfour (1848-1930) on 2 November 1917, giving British support for the creation of a national home for the Jews in Palestine, provided that the rights of 'existing non-Jewish communities' there were respected.