Balfour centenary: UK's May hosts Israeli PM

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON

British Prime Minister Theresa May has met her Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday prior to a dinner marking the centenary of the Balfour Declaration.

According to the Prime Ministry offices, May reiterated her “pride” over the historic declaration that paved the way for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

During the two-and-a-half hour meeting May said: "The U.K. is proud of the role that we played in the creation of the state of Israel and we mark the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration today with pride and respect.”

“They also discussed the Middle East Peace Process, where the Prime Minister made clear that the U.K. continues to support a two-state solution as the best means of achieving lasting peace, with an Israel that is safe from terrorism and a Palestinian state that is viable and sovereign,” the statement said.

The two leader also discussed “the need to overcome obstacles to peace, with the Prime Minister [May] noting our grave concerns about illegal settlements”.

“The Prime Ministers also discussed the fact settlements are not the only obstacle and that the people of Israel deserve to live free from the scourge of terrorism and anti-Semitic incitement.”

Netanyahu is in the British capital to celebrate the centenary of the declaration and following his meeting with May, he also met Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

British lawmakers last week urged the government to honor all aspects of the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which 100 years ago set out the U.K.’s support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine.

The declaration had stated 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 Jews in any other country".

A debate took place at the House of Commons a few hours after May reiterated that her government would mark the centenary of the declaration “with pride”.

“We are proud of the role that we played in [the] declaration of the state of Israel and we will certainly mark the centenary with pride,” May said at a weekly questions session.

“We also must be conscious of the sensitivities that some people have about the Balfour Declaration and we recognize there is more work to done. We remain committed to the two-state solution in relation to Israel and [the] Palestinians,” she had added.