Cairo: The Arab League has urged the United Kingdom and other countries that have not recognized the Palestinian state to do so in a move to support peace. Issuing a statement on the 107th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, the League's Secretariat emphasized that lasting, comprehensive, and just peace can only be achieved by ending the Israeli occupation of all Arab and Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. According to Kuwait News Agency, the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration comes at a time when Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have been facing genocide and attacks by the Israeli occupation for over a year. These assaults have resulted in the death of more than 43,000 people and injuries to over 100,000 others, most of whom are women and children, in addition to the destruction of civilian infrastructure, buildings, an d hospitals. The statement also called on the international community and the Security Council to fulfill their responsibilities by pressuring the Israeli occupation to halt its aggression on Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to reach the needs of the Gaza residents. The Balfour Declaration remains a wound in the humanitarian conscience, as it led to the Nakba and has deprived the Palestinian people of their inalienable rights to freedom and independence. The continued attacks by the Israeli occupation demonstrate the international community's inability to confront the Israeli occupation and protect the Palestinian people, as well as compel Israel to adhere to the principles of international law and relevant international legitimacy resolutions. The Balfour Declaration, issued by the British Government in 1917, announced support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
