Table Of Content‘The most dramatic centenary account of the Balfour Declaration.’
Robert Fisk
‘Like his other books, David Cronin’s latest work sheds light in the dark corners of
western imperialist policies that wreak havoc in most of the world. This one about
British policies over the 100 years since Balfour is worthy of reading not only by
every British person interested in truth but all humans who yearn for peace and
justice.’
Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor at Bethlehem University
‘It is not surprising that each year the November anniversary of the Balfour promise
is celebrated by British friends of Israel and mourned by millions of dispossessed
Palestinian refugees. Speaking the truth about the catastrophic consequences of
British support for Zionism, this amply documented book shows how Britain erected
and for decades maintained the scaffolding that gave birth to a settler-colonial state
in Palestine and the Palestinian Nakba. Acknowledging Britain’s moral responsibil-
ity towards the Palestinians is a key message of this timely and courageous book. A
must read for those seeking truth and reconciliation in the Middle East.’
Nur Masalha, editor, Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies
‘“Journalists”, David Cronin tells us, “have a duty to cause trouble for the
powerful.” This sense of duty informs every word of Balfour’s Shadow. From
Foreign Secretary Balfour’s illegitimate 1917 promise to the Jews of a homeland in
Palestine to Tony Blair’s global grandstanding and profiteering on Israel’s behalf in
the twenty-first century, Cronin exposes Britain as an enabler of Israeli apartheid.
Cronin blends indignation with meticulous objectivity in an alternative history that
is concise but comprehensive.’
Raymond Deane, Composer
‘David Cronin describes vividly how, by deception, Britain’s imperial designs
and perceived need for international Jewish support in wartime gave birth to the
Balfour Declaration of November 1917, which handed Arab Palestine to the Zionist
Movement, as a “Jewish national home” or Jewish state. Cronin examines Britain’s
continuing pernicious, deadly and lucrative relationship with Israel, its political
support for Israel’s war crimes and theft of Arab land and the mutual arms trade.’
Tim Llewellyn, former BBC Middle East Correspondent
‘Theresa May vowed in a recent speech to the Conservative Friends of Israel to mark
the centenary of the Balfour Declaration “with pride” and to take the UK–Israeli
relationship to “the next level”. Balfour’s Shadow challenges May’s propagandist
celebration through its exposure of the declaration’s fundamental illegitimacy,
supported by a wealth of factual detail on arms and money transfers, methods of
repression, and the racist discourse through which the British Mandate prepared the
establishment of Israel and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.’
Rosemary Sayigh, author of Palestinians: From Peasants to Revolutionaries
and Too Many Enemies: The Palestinian Experience in Lebanon
‘Balfour’s Shadow is a passionate, cogently argued presentation of the tragic and
devastating consequences of the 1917 Balfour Declaration. Cronin’s work provides
a unique insight into the historic and current relationship between Britain, Israel and
the Palestinians.’
Selma Dabbagh, novelist and playwright
‘This superb book is a revelation, uncovering the dreadful history – and present – of
Britain’s connivance with Israeli atrocities. It is also badly-needed given the silence
that has largely prevailed, in both academia and media, on the crucial relationship
between British and Israeli governments. It really deserves to be widely read and
understood.’
Mark Curtis, author of Secret Affairs: Britain’s Collusion with Radical Islam
Balfour’s Shadow
Balfour’s Shadow
A Century of British Support
for Zionism and Israel
David Cronin
First published 2017 by Pluto Press
345 Archway Road, London N6 5AA
www.plutobooks.com
Copyright © David Cronin 2017
The right of David Cronin to be identified as the author of this work has been
asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 0 7453 9944 7 Hardback
ISBN 978 0 7453 9943 0 Paperback
ISBN 978 1 7868 0107 4 PDF eBook
ISBN 978 1 7868 0109 8 Kindle eBook
ISBN 978 1 7868 0108 1 EPUB eBook
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed
and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are
expected to conform to the environmental standards of the country of origin.
Typeset by Stanford DTP Services, Northampton, England
Simultaneously printed in the United Kingdom and United States of America
Contents
Timeline of key events ix
Text of Balfour Declaration xii
Introduction 1
1. Laying the foundations 4
Rumours of Russia 6
The golden key 9
Cousins divided 12
2. Bringing in the Black and Tans 15
Copper-fastened by Churchill 18
‘A certain ruthlessness’ 21
Teaching a lesson 26
Guns for the colonies 28
‘Down with the English’ 35
3. ‘We must shoot to kill’ 39
Discretion to destroy 45
Bad villages 50
Dirty war 53
4. Sowing the seeds of ethnic cleansing 58
A strained alliance 60
‘Corpse city’ 63
Carving up Palestine 70
Midwifing a miracle? 74
5. Arming Israel (1953–1956) 79
Pressure from Peres 81
Skullduggery over Suez 85
A killing spree in Gaza 90
balfour’s shadow
6. Arming Israel (1957–1979) 93
Shopping for submarines 95
Greasing the wheels of occupation 97
‘We cannot afford morality’ 101
‘Seize every order’ 104
7. Sidelining the PLO 110
Kowtowing to Kissinger 112
A patronising attitude 117
Humouring Israel 119
Rallying behind Reagan 123
8. The loyal lieutenant 135
A swift peace? 138
‘Get rid of Saddam’ 141
Palestine’s police state 143
Suffering for Israel? 148
Spindoctor for a siege 154
9. Partners in crime 161
Devoted to drones 163
Eyeing big orders 166
Clegg’s crocodile tears 168
Conservative cheerleading 170
Smearing solidarity 173
Postscript: Israel’s greatest friend? 177
Notes 181
Acknowledgements 214
Index 215
viii
Timeline of key events
November 1917 British government declares its support for the
objective of establishing a ‘Jewish national
home’ in Palestine.
December 1917 British Army captures Jerusalem.
April 1920 San Remo conference of allied powers agrees to
place Palestine under British administration.
June 1920 Herbert Samuel arrives in Palestine as Britain’s
first high commissioner.
May 1921 Riots in Jaffa; Britain responds to this and
subsequent unrest by sending extra security
forces to Palestine.
May 1922 Winston Churchill, then colonial secretary,
publishes a white paper on Palestine. It
reconfirms commitment to Balfour Declaration
but denies that Britain wants Palestine to be
‘wholly Jewish’.
August 1929 British forces suppress riots in Jerusalem and
other Palestinian cities.
October 1933 British forces attack Palestinian protesters in
Jaffa.
April 1936 General strike declared by Palestinians’ political
leadership; revolt against Zionism and British
administration begins.
June 1936 British authorities destroy Palestinian homes in
Jaffa’s Old City.
ix
