Learning Modules

A comprehensive 8-module program designed to guide you through the historical, legal, and moral dimensions of the Balfour Declaration

Module 1
2-3 hours
Historical Context & The Pre-Declaration Era
Understanding the Ottoman Empire's decline and the geopolitical landscape that made the Balfour Declaration possible.

Key Topics

  • The Ottoman Empire and World War I
  • British strategic interests in the Middle East
  • Early Zionist movement and its key figures
  • Competing national aspirations in Palestine
  • The role of serendipity in historical events
Module 2
2-3 hours
Key Figures and Their Motivations
Exploring the individuals who shaped the Declaration and their varied motivations.

Key Topics

  • Arthur James Balfour: The man and his convictions
  • Chaim Weizmann: Scientific genius and diplomatic strategist
  • David Lloyd George: Prime Minister with biblical sensibilities
  • Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot: The architects of division
  • T.E. Lawrence and Arab nationalist aspirations
Module 3
2 hours
The Declaration: Text, Intent, and Context
Deep analysis of the Declaration's precise wording and its intended meaning.

Key Topics

  • The 67 words that changed history
  • What 'national home' meant in 1917
  • The 'civil and religious rights' clause explained
  • Legal standing under international law
  • Contemporary interpretations vs. revisionist readings
Module 4
2 hours
The Serendipitous Elements
Examining the unexpected circumstances and coincidences that brought the Declaration to fruition.

Key Topics

  • Acetone, explosives, and Weizmann's contribution to the war effort
  • Chance meetings that altered diplomatic courses
  • Timing and its role in historical outcomes
  • The convergence of British interests and Zionist aspirations
  • How personalities shaped policy
Module 5
3 hours
Implementation and Betrayal: 1917-1948
The troubled path from promise to statehood.

Key Topics

  • The British Mandate and its contradictions
  • The White Papers: Progressively limiting Jewish immigration
  • Arab riots and British appeasement
  • The Holocaust and Britain's closed door policy
  • UN Partition Plan and the road to independence
Module 6
2-3 hours
Historical Revisionism and Propaganda
How the narrative has been distorted and why truth matters.

Key Topics

  • The 'stolen land' myth deconstructed
  • Palestinian nationalism: Origins and evolution
  • Soviet propaganda and its lasting effects
  • Academic bias and the rewriting of history
  • The power of narrative in shaping contemporary conflicts
Module 7
2 hours
The Abraham Accords: A Return to First Principles
How understanding 1917 illuminates the path forward from 2020.

Key Topics

  • Parallels between Balfour-era diplomacy and the Abraham Accords
  • The role of pragmatism over ideology
  • Economic cooperation as a foundation for peace
  • Bypassing Palestinian rejectionism
  • The moral clarity of acknowledging Israel's legitimacy
Module 8
2 hours
Legal and Moral Frameworks
The international law basis for Israel's existence and territorial claims.

Key Topics

  • The San Remo Resolution (1920)
  • The League of Nations Mandate
  • Article 80 of the UN Charter
  • Uti possidetis juris and Israel's borders
  • Self-determination: Jewish rights vs. fabricated 'Palestinian' claims
Ready to Begin?
Start with Module 1 to build a strong foundation in the historical context