Who will brief Prince William on Jerusalem’s history, geography? Not Israel
Kensington Palace released an itinerary on Sunday for William’s trip to “Jordan, Israel and The Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
By HERB KEINONBritain's Prince William attends the first annual Royal Foundation Forum held at Aviva in London, February 28, 2018 . REUTERS/Chris Jackson/Pool(photo credit: REUTERS/CHRIS JACKSON)
An employee at the British Consulate- General in Jerusalem is expected to give Prince William a briefing on the history of Jerusalem during his visit at the end of the month, thereby side-stepping the politically charged question of whether he will get this briefing from an Israeli or Palestinian guide or scholar, The Jerusalem Post has learned.Kensington Palace released an itinerary on Sunday for William’s trip to “Jordan, Israel and The Occupied Palestinian Territories.” He is scheduled to arrive in Israel on the evening of June 25, arriving from two days in Jordan.He will leave Israel on June 28.According to the statement, on June 28 the program “in the Occupied Palestinian Territories will begin with a short briefing on the history and geography of Jerusalem’s Old City from a viewing point at the Mount of Olives.”A spokesman for the Consulate-General would not say who would be giving the “short briefing,” or whether it would be an Israeli or a Palestinian.Later, however, the Post learned that it would likely be a consulate employee to avoid having to “take sides” on who would present the history.The Consulate-General in Jerusalem deals with the east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, while the embassy in Tel Aviv covers Israel within the Green Line.One diplomatic source indicated that Israel was not surprised that the British referred to the Mount of Olives as being in “The Occupied Palestinian Territories,” since London has for years referred to east Jerusalem in those terms. The source added that this is “obviously” not the Israeli position.
