Israelis, Palestinians await William’s inaugural royal visit
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prince William is set to arrive in Israel and the Palestinian territories this week for the first official visit of a member of the British royal family, ending the monarchy’s decades-long mostly handsoff approach to one of the world’s most sensitive regions.
Though the trip is being billed as non-political, and places a special emphasis on technology and joint Israeli-Arab projects, the Duke of Cambridge will also be meeting with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and visiting landmark Jerusalem sites at the heart of the century-old conflict.
The prince kicks off his Middle East visit Sunday in Jordan where we will meet refugees from the civil war in neighboring Syria and tour the famous archaeological site at Jerash, where his wife, the former Catherine Middleton, once visited when her family lived in Jordan.
On Monday he will arrive in Israel and stay in Jerusalem’s King David Hotel, the elegant British-era edifice. From there he will visit coastal Tel Aviv, Israel’s financial and cultural capital, and Ramallah in the West Bank, seat of the Palestinian autonomy government.
On the docket are scheduled meetings with young entrepreneurs, visits to Israel’s vibrant tech and media sectors and meetings with young Jewish and Arab football players.
Kensington Palace, William’s official residence, said the visit was aimed “to meet as many people from as many walks of life as possible — and use the spotlight that his visit will bring to celebrate their hopes for the future.”
But politics have already seeped into the agenda. The royal itinerary mentioned Jerusalem as being part of “the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” angering Israeli politicians. Jerusalem Affairs Minister Zeev Elkin — who is running for mayor of the city in this year’s elections — called the reference a “distortion” that cannot “change reality.” Israel captured east Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not internationally recognized. Israel considers the city, home to holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims and the emotional epicenter of the conflict, as an inseparable part of its capital. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as a future capital.
Britain has deep roots in the region, having governed Palestine from 1920 to 1948 under a League of Nations mandate. But it has since taken a back seat to the United States in matters of mediating war and peace efforts. The royal family has mostly steered clear of politics.
One way of doing so has been to avoid any official visits. William’s father, Prince Charles, attended the 2016 funeral of former Israeli President Shimon Peres but in a private capacity. During that trip, the heir to the throne paid a low-key visit to the grave of his grandmother, Princess Alice.