B & B – Beersheba and Balfour
Two momentous anniversaries coincided within a few days of each other…writes Michael Kuttner.
It is not by chance that they occur within the same week because they are inextricably linked. Without the defeat of the corrupt and oppressive Ottoman Empire it is doubtful whether Jewish independence would have been restored in the land which had historically been the home of the Jewish people for millennia.



Lord Balfour
The once in a lifetime commemoration in Beersheba has been extensively reported but I want to share some personal thoughts on this day, jam-packed with unforgettable nostalgia, tributes and experiences.
I think it is true to say that Beersheba has not witnessed such excitement since the British and Anzacs liberated the city 100 years ago. From a dusty, backward and neglected Ottoman occupied garrison town it has blossomed into the capital of the Negev. It is now a thriving metropolis and is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country with over 362,000 residents. Like other parts of the country which under Ottoman Moslem rule remained mired in poverty and dusty underdevelopment today’s landscape is entirely different.
With the road to Jerusalem open after the battle of Beersheba the stage was set for dramatic development of the neglected country by Jewish chalutzim (pioneers) and settlers. Infused with enthusiasm and vision and bolstered by the Balfour Declaration which was followed by the San Remo Agreement and endorsement by the League of Nations, the barren land was painstakingly transformed into oases of flourishing communities. Swamps were drained, malaria combated and employment provided in agriculture and industry.
I mention this because what is usually overlooked is the impact it had on the Arab peasant farmers who during the years of Ottoman rule were content to subsist in poverty and primitive conditions. With the advent of the Jewish revival of mandated Palestine the Arabs were afforded the opportunity of gainful employment and escape from the cycle of deprivation. While some did grasp this opportunity offered them the majority succumbed to the incitement of their leaders and launched a campaign of violence and delegitimisation which unfortunately has lasted until the present time.
This sense of being present at a once in a lifetime occurrence repeated itself continually throughout the day. I had the opportunity of talking with many Australians and New Zealanders and it was obvious that the Beersheba experience in particular and being exposed to Israel and Israelis in general had made a deep and lasting impression.
The New Zealand and subsequent Australian ceremonies provided further opportunities for mutual interaction. By the time festivities ended with a barbeque at the Australian Park most participants were dropping with fatigue but still determined to savour every moment.
Mentioned on numerous occasions during the day was the fact that the liberation of Beersheba was followed by the liberation of Jerusalem and the issuing of the Balfour Declaration. There is no doubt that this expression of support by the British Government jump started the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty and set in motion an unstoppable momentum. Subsequent shameful British actions designed to frustrate the implementation of Balfour’s solemn pledge and its legal endorsement by the international community, failed to derail the ultimate goal.
In true and tried fashion Arab countries love to blame all their failings and misery on a convenient scapegoat. In this particular case they are now demanding that the UK apologise for the Balfour Declaration and pay compensation. Deliberately ignored of course is the fact that their current mess is entirely self-inflicted. Instead of pointing out this self-evident truth those on the left in particular feed into the mirages and self delusionary hyperbole so beloved by those for whom the sight of Jews successfully building a democratic modern country is an anathema.
The anniversaries of the battle for Beersheba and the Balfour Declaration are indeed events worth celebrating. Honouring the memory of the brave Anzacs and the prophetic vision of Balfour is something we as Israelis and Jews will cherish for eternity.
Michael Kuttner is a Jewish New Zealander who for many years was actively involved with various communal organisations connected to Judaism and Israel. He now lives in Israel and is J-Wire’s correspondent in the region.