Palestinian resistance emerged as an inevitable response. From the start of the British Mandate, local communities organized protests and boycotts to defend their rights. The Arab Revolt of 1936–1939 exemplified this struggle—a widespread uprising expressing accumulated frustration with colonial policies. Though it was forcibly suppressed, the revolt left a legacy of unity and resistance etched in the collective memory.

The unilateral nature of the Balfour Declaration reflected a colonial logic that viewed Palestine as an empty territory, available for the Zionist project. This perspective not only delegitimized the presence and rights of Palestinians but also reduced them to obstacles in a process shaped exclusively by foreign interests.

The Declaration's repercussions extended far beyond the British Mandate era. It established a precedent of systematic marginalization, where decisions about Palestine's future were made without consideration for its native population. This pattern would repeat in subsequent decades, with devastating effects on Palestinian land and people.