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The forsaken promise (DVD)

3-part documentary about the British Mandate Period, 1918-48

Britain and the Holy Land

THE FORSAKEN PROMISE
A three-part documentary series about the British Mandate Period between 1918 and 1948 in the territory then known as Palestine
Produced and directed by Hugh Kitson
Hatikvah Film Trust
Cert. E (exempt)
Two DVDs. 237 minutes. £15.00

This is a two-disk DVD. Disk one contains the first two episodes plus a 13-minute Epilogue. Disk two contains the third episode plus an abridged version containing material from all three parts. The Epilogue is repeated on the second disk. The material is well documented and the message is powerful and, at times, harrowing. The film presents the facts about the pledge, made by the British government in the Balfour Declaration of 1917, to help establish a Jewish National Homeland in the territory then known as Palestine.

After the end of World War I, the League of Nations gave Britain the Mandate for Palestine with the proviso that the Balfour Declaration was implemented. The tragedy is that, as difficulties arose, Britain gradually reneged on the Mandate until by 1939 the borders of Palestine were virtually closed to Jewish immigration. This meant that many thousands of Jews were unable to escape Hitler’s ‘Final Solution’ and upwards of two million Jews died in Hitler’s death camps. Prominent voices, such as those of the then Archbishop of Canterbury (William Temple) and Winston Churchill were raised against this abandonment of duty, but to no avail.

Three strands

There are three strands to this account. First is the documentary itself, which forms the bulk of the film. This is extremely valuable historical footage, full of official documents and significant quotations. One such rings in the reviewer’s ears: ‘What is morally wrong cannot be politically right’. Every Christian ought to view this film for the historical value alone.

The second strand is the implication that Britain is under divine judgment because of her betrayal of the Jews. Biblical evidence is provided for this conclusion, but if betraying Israel is equivalent to cursing her then we are in serious trouble.

The third strand, which is contained in the Epilogue, is a call to repentance for this breaking of the Balfour Declaration and reneging upon the League of Nations Mandate. The need for this nation to turn to God is unquestionable. The need for the church to repent and call upon the Lord for revival is desperately needed. Whether or not we can actually repent for things done by other people 60 or 70 years ago is debatable. This nation has enough sins to repent of today, quite apart from those of the past. Here there is, in the reviewer’s opinion, a confusion of terms if not of theology. We can admit, acknowledge, or even confess the sins of our forefathers. But we cannot really repent of them. Repentance means a change of mind resulting in a change of behaviour. It is turning back from a sinful line of action to a righteous behaviour. Therefore, strictly speaking, we can confess, acknowledge, bewail the sins of a past government in connection with the Jews, and make sure that no element of anti-Semitism remains in us. Surrogate repentance is no repentance at all.

With that caveat, this DVD set is recommended to every church and Christian to view, study and pray about.

Stanley Jebb,
retired Baptist minister, member of Cumnock Baptist Church, Ayrshire