We stand with you, William tells Palestine
Royals move out during Palace revamp
THE Duke of Cambridge told the Palestinian people last night that they have not been forgotten and Britain stands with them in their quest for a just peace with Israel.
On the first official visit to the occupied Palestinian West Bank, the future king crossed the divide from Israel amid tight security and held a historic meeting with the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas.
William, 36, was clapped and cheered later in a refugee camp after voicing hope for lasting peace in the Middle East.
He spoke at the residence of the British consul-general in Jerusalem during a garden party attended by Palestinians from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
William said: “Never has hope and reconciliation been more needed.
“I know I share a desire with all of you, and with your neighbours, for a just and lasting peace.”
He was struck by how many young people wanted a new chapter to be written in the history of the region to secure them a prosperous future and ensure their talents could flourish.
Powerful
He said: “My message tonight is that you have not been forgotten. It has been a very powerful experience to meet you and other Palestinians living in the West Bank and to hear your stories.”
He told them: “The United Kingdom stands with you, as we work together for a peaceful and prosperous future.”
Earlier at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah, six miles north of Jerusalem, he listened intently as Mr Abbas reaffirmed his people’s desire to live in peace alongside Israel in a fully independent sovereign nation.
The Duke later went to the Palestinian refugee camp of Jalazone to show his and Britain’s support for schools threatened by Donald Trump’s decision to slash US aid to the main United Nations agency in the region. He was shown a school and a health clinic.
William told Mr Abbas: “I’m very glad our two countries work so closely together and have had success stories with education and relief work in the past. So long may that continue. My PRINCESS Anne and her brothers Andrew and Edward will move out of their Buckingham Palace quarters amid a £370million renovation of the Queen’s main home.
They will use apartments and offices in neighbouring St James’s Palace when workers begin ripping out the building’s east wing, dubbed the “face” of the palace, next April.
Palace officials said yesterday that 120 staff would be moved and about 10,000 priceless artworks lent Prince William was shown the refugee camp of Jalazone yesterday after his historic meeting with Palestinian premier Mahmoud Abbas, right, and spoke of peace hopes sentiments are the same as yours in hoping that there is a lasting peace in the region.”
A day after Israeli president Reuven Rivlin asked William to take “a message of peace” to Mr Abbas and build confidence between Israel and the Palestinians, the second in line to the throne found himself acting as an unofficial peace envoy.
Mr Abbas insisted his side were willing to talk peace with Israel – but only with a two-state solution based on the borders before Israel seized Palestinian territory in the Six Day War in 1967. The condition out or stored elsewhere. But the work will be virtually invisible to the public and senior royals should still be able to appear on the balcony for major ceremonies.
A royal source said: “The expectation is that it is very much business as usual. There won’t be scaffolding all over the exterior.”
The renovation is part of a 10-year project to replace the 300-year-old would mean Israel dismantling Jewish settlements and giving the Palestinians back control over East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip.
British officials have insisted William’s role is not to broker peace but to normalise relations with both sides.
They hope, however, that his historic visit will shine a light on the need for a renewed peace process.
Israeli-Palestinian talks collapsed in 2014 – and the divide has widened since Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December as he moved the US embassy there. Palace’s ageing cables and pipes. Details were revealed in the annual report on the Sovereign Grant, which sets out the accounts for the Queen and her residences and what she is paid to maintain them.
The 2017-18 accounts show she received a £45.7million grant for official duties and her palaces. The cost to her per person was 69p – 4p more than the previous year.