Arthur James Balfour

A first edition, first printing of Speeches on Zionism, accompanied by a slip with compliments and signature of Earl Balfour.

• Arthur James Balfour [Earl Balfour] (English).
• London: Arrowsmith, 1928.

A very good book with an ownership inscription of Robert Solomon (American Mathematician and coding theorist), complete with a signed letter from a friend discussing the book. Also included is a compliments slip from Balfour as well as a signed card, sent a couple of months before Balfour’s death.

Lord Arthur Balfour was a British statesman best known for the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a pivotal statement supporting the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine. As Foreign Secretary during World War I, Balfour addressed Zionist aspirations by expressing the British government's support, significantly influencing international attitudes toward Jewish statehood. His speeches on Zionism reflected a blend of strategic interests, humanitarian concerns following Jewish persecution, and British imperial goals.

While Balfour was not a Zionist himself, he saw the movement as aligning with British interests in the Middle East. His public addresses often highlighted the historical connection of Jews to the land of Israel. However, critics have noted that his support did not equally consider the Arab population in Palestine, which later contributed to long-standing regional conflict. His legacy remains deeply intertwined with Zionist history. The first edition of this book is excessively scarce.