Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
A Prince of peace
Israel asks William to send message to Palestine
PRINCE William has been asked by the Israeli president to deliver a “message of peace” to Palestine during his historic visit to the Middle East.
On a day of huge significance, the Duke of Cambridge was yesterday shown evidence of the Holocaust and paid tribute to murdered Jews.
But though his staff have stressed his tour is strictly non-political, the prince was thrust into the region’s troubles by President Reuven Rivlin.
Referring to William’s visit to the Occupied Palestinian Territories today, where he will meet Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Rivlin said: “I know you are going to meet President Abbas.
“I’d like you to send him a message of peace. And tell him it is about time that we have to find together a way to build confidence.
MOVED
“To build confidence as a first step... to bring an end to the tragedy between us that goes along for more than 120 years.”
Earlier William, the first British royal to travel to Israel on official business, visited Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre.
He laid a wreath and, clearly moved by exhibits, said: “There is a lot to take in. It’s not easy.”
He later met the descendants of Jews saved by his great-gran Princess Alice of Battenberg – Prince Philip’s mother – who has a tree dedicated to her at the centre.
Evy and Philippe Cohen told how she sheltered Rachel Cohen and daughter Tilde in Nazi-occupied Greece in the Second World War.
Princess Alice was posthumously honoured as Righteous Among the Nations for her effort and buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem after her death in 1969, aged 84. William, 36, told the Cohens he was visiting her grave later this week.
And in a pre-written message in Yad Vashem’s visitor book, he paid tribute to the six million Holocaust victims and told of his pride at his great-gran being recognised.
He said: “We all have a responsibility to remember and to teach future generations about horrors of the past so they can never reoccur.
“The actions of those few who took great risks to help others are a reminder for the human capacity for love and hope. I am honoured that my own great-grandmother is one of these Righteous Among Nations.”
Elsewhere, the prince had a kickabout with youngsters involved in football-based youth programmes.
He also met Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli, 33, at a garden party.
The ex-girlfriend of actor Leonardo Dicaprio, she said afterwards: “He is very, very charming. He’s the best-looking prince in the world.”
Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told William the “whole people of Israel are excited” by his visit.
Mr Rivlin added: “This land knows a lot about history, today you are writing a new page in history.”
William told him he aimed to meet as many Israelis as possible.
Britain’s ambassador to Israel David Quarrey said of the president’s peace message request: “I don’t think the Duke will be bringing a particular message to either side.
“But I think he’ll be very interested in hearing what they think... can be done more generally to move us out of the current situation.”
William is tonight due to speak at a reception at the British Consulate in East Jerusalem, before visiting the Mount of Olives tomorrow. His fiveday tour ends in the afternoon.