The Jews, longing for a homeland and security, along with the Arabs, desiring an independent state, both saw Palestine as their own to claim. Palestine was originally given to the British as a mandate and was not granted its independence, leaving it with a lack of self-determination and British control. The Jews fled Palestine to get away from Babylonian and Roman control and later Arab and Ottoman rule. They faced exile and persecution. The Jews longed for a homeland where they could practice Jewish laws and traditions-Palestine. Sir Arthur Balfour’s declaration states a homeland for the Jews, but not at the expense of the Arabs. They both interpret it as in their favo