Prince William to meet Netanyahu, Rivlin in Israel
The palace said that the Prince William "considers it a great privilege" to be embarking on the trip, and "is looking forward to building an enduring relationship with the people of the region.
By AMY SPIROUpdated: JUNE 12, 2018 17:28 Britain's Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge and his wife Princess Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, attend a reception at Claerchens Ballhaus, in Berlin Germany, July 20, 2017(photo credit: REUTERS/BRITTA PEDERSEN)
In the first official visit to Israel by a member of the royal family, Prince William will meet with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin.Kensington Palace released much of the itinerary on Monday for the Duke of Cambridge’s upcoming trip to the region, including his stops in Israel, Jordan and “The Occupied Palestinian Territories.”Prince William set to visit Israel on June 25, 2018According to the palace, Prince William will land in Tel Aviv on Monday, June 25 and travel at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. On Tuesday, he is slated to visit Yad Vashem, a stop that “will be immensely poignant,” it said.In addition to touring the museum, the duke is slated to meet with survivors of the Holocaust “who will share their personal experiences with him.” He will be accompanied by UK Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.Later that day, Prince William will meet with Netanyahu and Rivlin at their respective residences.Continuing his busy schedule, the duke will then spend time in Jaffa, at two organizations dedicated to coexistence: the Equalizer and the Peres Center for Peace. In the evening Prince William is slated to speak at a reception hosted by UK Ambassador to Israel David Quarrey.On Wednesday morning, Prince William will return to Tel Aviv “with a visit that we are really looking forward to, but will not be announcing in advance,” according to the palace. He will also visit the Beit Ha’ir museum and attend a tech innovation demo.Later in the day, the duke will travel to Ramallah and meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.He will partake in several events “that focus on the issues facing refugee communities; opportunities to celebrate Palestinian culture, music and food; and a chance to meet a number of young Palestinians.”The following day, the duke will visit the tomb of his great grandmother, Princess Alice, at the Church of St Mary Magdalene.
The release from Kensington Palace referred to the duke’s visits to the Mount of Olives and the church as being part of the “Occupied Palestinian Territories.” Israel considers both sites to be part of Jerusalem and within the borders of Israel. Before arriving in Tel Aviv, Prince William will spend two days in Jordan, meeting Crown Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II, watching military drills, meeting Syrian refugees and visiting several charities.The palace said that the Duke of Cambridge “considers it a great privilege” to be embarking on the trip, and “is looking forward to building a real and enduring relationship with the people of the region.”“In particular he is pleased that his program will allow him to meet a number of people from his own generation and young Jordanians, Israelis, and Palestinians. His Royal Highness is looking forward to learning about their unique perspectives, but also their shared ambitions and hopes for the future.”
