Balfour Declaration returns to Israel for new exhibit

The historic Balfour Declaration will, for the first time, leave Britain and be presented to the Israeli public.

Lord Arthur James Balfour's declaration, made in November 1917, was the Zionist movement's watershed diplomatic achievement, marking the first time that the idea of the need for a national home for the Jewish people in Israel was recognized by an international power.

The document will be put on display at the reopening of Independence Hall in Tel Aviv, where David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, in two year's time following renovations to the building.

Cabinet Secretary Zvi Hauser announced Sunday that following lengthy negotiations he had received in recent days a principle agreement from the directors of the British National Library to loan the document to Israel on a limited basis, based on conditions to be determined by the library to ensure that the paper is preserved.

Another document, which has made its way to the Israel State Archive website, tells the story of Albert Einstein's final speech, one he never had the chance to make.

A fascinating exchange between Israeli consul in New York at the time, Reuven Dafni, and the famous scientist, shortly before his death, shows that Einstein was eager to make a TV speech on behalf of Israel in April 1955.

"Dear Professor Einstein: I am taking the liberty of writing to you with a rather unusual request," wrote Dafni, who was helping to organize the celebrations for Israel's seventh independence day, in a letter found in the files of the Foreign Ministry.

Dafni was surprised and touched by Einstein's reply, which arrived a few days later. "I should very much like to assist our Israel cause under the prevailing difficult and dangerous circumstances," he wrote.

Einstein proposed that he should speak about the political situation in regards to the Israeli-Arab conflict, even suggesting that he might criticize the Western nations (which he later corrected to world powers) and their attitude toward the Middle East. Einstein wrote that he would have to coordinate his speech with "responsible Israelis."

Dafni replied that he had been deeply moved by the famed scientist's letter and had passed it on to Ambassador Abba Eban. Due to the Passover holiday, the meeting was postponed until April 11, when Eban and Dafni met Einstein at his home in Princeton, New Jersey to discuss the speech. The meeting was later described in Dafni's report to Walter Eytan, the director-general of the Foreign Ministry. "I was enormously impressed with his personality, his charm and his warmth towards everything connected with Israel and the Jews," Dafni wrote.

Einstein had already prepared some notes in German, and Eban made suggestions. Two days later, according to the Israel State Archives, Dafni returned with an outline for the speech prepared by Eban, most of which Einstein accepted.

A draft of the speech was made and Einstein suggested that Eban should complete it. Dafni, however, felt it would have more impact in Einstein's own words. Meanwhile all three major television networks agreed to carry the speech simultaneously coast to coast, for the first time ever, on April 26.

Shortly after Dafni left, Einstein fell ill and was moved to hospital. He was expected to make a full recovery and plans for the speech continued. But on April 18 he died suddenly at the age of 76.

In related news, the government on Sunday authorized the creation of a permanent new home in Jerusalem for the State Archives. According to the decision, the Archives will be housed in a new building located next to the International Convention Center. The new building will house the archive's directorate and include a study center and exhibition hall.

"The decision will allow the public to realize its democratic rights and benefit from the transparency of service on behalf of the public," said Israel's chief archivist at the Israel State Archives, Yaacov Lozowick.

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