AL: UK should not celebrate Balfour Declaration anniversary

CAIRO - 1 November 2017: The Balfour Declaration and its undertakings represent the climax of international bias against the Palestinians people, Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abul Gheit asserted.

In a statement released by the AL, Abul Gheit said that the UK’s involvement in the Balfour Declaration should not be an occasion for celebration or a sign of proud as it counts as a blatant violation of the Palestinian people’s rights.

He made the remarks during a meeting with the outgoing Palestinian Ambassador to Egypt and its permanent representative in the Arab League (AL) Jamal al Shobaky.

During the meeting, Abul Gheit thanked al Shobaky for his great efforts, especially in light of formidable political and security challenges sweeping the Arab world, the statement quoted AL Spokesman Mahmoud Afifi as saying.

In a letter sent to British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, the AL chief expressed his resentment over the UK’s celebration of the centennial of the Balfour Declaration and called on the British government to seize the opportunity to recognize the Palestinian state.