Balfour on his Declaration, by Ari Sclar

"Russian Jews had been secretly active on behalf of the Central Powers from the first; they had become the chief agents of German pacifist propaganda in Russia; by 1917 they had done much in preparing for that general disintegration of Russian society, later recognised as the Revolution. It was believed that if Great Britain declared for the fulfillment of Zionist aspirations in Palestine under her own pledge, one effect would be to bring Russian Jewry to the cause of the Entente."

- Arthur Balfour, Memoirs

1. Cite two sentences of factors that motivated Balfour to issue the Balfour Declaration?

2. How does this document help to understand the Sykes-Picot agreement?

Is this passage similar to one that T.E. Lawrence would have provided regarding the Arab Revolt? Explain.