Wills’ handshake with Palestinian leader and a plea for lasting peace
PRINCE William has expressed his hope for ‘lasting peace’ between Israelis and Palestinians during a historic visit to the occupied West Bank.
During talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas yesterday, the prince said: ‘My sentiments are the same as yours in hoping there is a lasting peace for the region.’
The Palestinian president later reaffirmed his commitment to peace negotations based on a two-state solution, his standard position on the decades-old conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The talks took place in the de facto Palestinian capital of Ramallah following a public handshake.
William last night returned to Jerusalem and paid tribute to the people of Palestine in the final speech of his tour, which concludes today.
He told Palestinians they ‘had not been forgotten’, adding: ‘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.’
The second in line to the throne had earlier become the first member of the Royal Family to officially visit the occupied Palestinian territories at the request of the British Government.
While an aide described the talks with Mr Abbas as ‘very warm’, the leader risked politicising the prince’s visit – stating that the next time the royal visited Palestine he hoped it would be a fully independent state.
Later William was cheered by Palestinians as he made his first visit to a refugee camp in the West Bank. He toured a school and health clinic in Jalazone, then attended a street festival in Ramallah. William had travelled to the occupied territories ostensibly to highlight humanitarian issues and the region’s people and culture. However, diplomatic sources admitted that his tour would also highlight the lack of progress in peace talks.
The prince had met Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Reuven Rivlin, the country’s president, on Tuesday. Mr Rivlin had asked him to carry a ‘message of peace’ to Palestinians.
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed in 2014. Palestinians want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as the capital of an independent state spanning the two territories.