One hundred years ago this year, Britain issued its now famous Balfour Declaration.

Signed on Nov. 2, 1917, by British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour, the Balfour Declaration stated that the British government “views with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and would use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object.”

The declaration, issued while the area that is now Israel was still under the control of the Ottoman Empire, represented a pivotal victory for Zionists and has been credited with helping pave the way for the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

However, relations soured considerably during WW II when Adolf Hitler was marching 6 million Jews to gas chambers. Jews were desperate to get out of Europe, but Britain severely curtailed Jewish access to the Holy Land.

The British Royal Family has boycotted the modern nation of Israel since its founding in 1948. No member of the royal family has visited there in an official capacity. A statement has now been issued that it is “likely” that a member of the royal family will visit Israel during the centennial celebration of the Balfour Declaration. Stay tuned for this edition of End of the Age.