Balfour Portrait Defaced by Protester for Symbolizing Palestinian Struggle against Colonial Legacy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A portrait of Lord Balfour, whose 1917 declaration paved the way for the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, has been damaged by a pro-Palestinian protester at the University of Cambridge, reigniting debate over Britain's colonial legacy and its impact on the Palestinian people.
The incident, captured in an Instagram video, shows the portrait being sprayed and slashed at Trinity College, University of Cambridge, accompanied by a caption that reads: “Palestine Action spray and slash a historic painting of ‘Lord’ Balfour in Trinity College, University of Cambridge.”
Lord Balfour's declaration, issued in 1917, is widely seen as the starting point of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine, as it promised land that the British did not have the right to give away. The declaration paved the way for the destruction of indigenous villages, arbitrary killings, arrests, torture, sexual violence, including rape, and ultimately, the Nakba.
The Nakba, meaning "catastrophe" in Arabic, refers to the mass expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and the destruction of over 500 villages by Zionist militias, with British complicity. The Nakba continues today with ongoing genocide rooted in British support for Israel.
The Balfour Declaration pledged to establish "a national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine, setting off a chain of events that led to the establishment of the Israel regime in 1948. The declaration has long been a source of controversy and has puzzled historians for decades.
The Balfour Declaration, a product of the colonial mandate system established after World War I, has had lasting consequences for the people of Palestine. The recent incident at Cambridge University highlights the ongoing debate surrounding its legacy and the continued struggle for justice for the Palestinian people.
