Foreign Office
November 2nd, 1917
Dear Lord Rothschild,
I have much pleasure in conveying to you, on behalf
of His Majesty's Government, the following declaration of sympathy with Jewish
Zionist aspirations which has been submitted to, and approved by, the Cabinet.
"His Majesty's Government view with favour the
establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will
use their best endeavours 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 Jews in any other country."
I should be grateful if you would bring this declaration to
the knowledge of the Zionist Federation.
Yours sincerely,
Arthur James Balfour