Britain’s Prince William arrived in Israel on Monday, the first member of the royal family to make an official visit to both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
The prince’s plane landed from Jordan at Ben Gurion Airport around 6:00 pm local time.
Prince William becomes the first member of the British Royal Family to make an official visit to Israel #RoyalVisitIsrael pic.twitter.com/ujZOlcCIIE
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) June 25, 2018
Rights groups have criticized the visit, saying Israeli leaders will use it to mask human rights violations against Palestinians.
Palestine Solidarity Campaign said in a press release:
“This visit by Prince William reinforces the UK government’s historic policy of turning a blind eye to gross violations of human rights when they are committed by the Israeli government.”
Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK accuses Conservatives of "turning a blind eye to gross violations of human rights" when it comes to Israel.
Gepostet von RT UK am Montag, 25. Juni 2018
Since Palestinians began staging mass rallies near the Gaza-Israeli fence on March 30, over 130 protesters have been killed and thousands more injured by gunfire from Israeli troops and snipers.
No Israelis have been killed since the demonstrations began.
Israel’s Premature Celebration: Gazans Have Crossed the Fear Barrier
by Ramzy Baroud@RamzyBaroud #GazaMassacre #Gaza #Palestine #Palestinians #Israelhttps://t.co/lavl1Vu9TF pic.twitter.com/ODOUAaTDbe— Antiwar.com (@Antiwarcom) May 26, 2018
Prince William’s itinerary includes laying a wreath at the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem on Tuesday, before meeting separately with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin.
The following day he is scheduled to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, before meeting Palestinian refugees and young people.
#PrinceWilliam’s impending #MiddleEast trip
"The royal family’s position has always been against the occupation and for the establishment of a just #peace, and we are sure they will maintain this position" Hanan Ashrawihttps://t.co/WHHpy7uE0F #Gaza #Israel #Abbas #Netanyahu— Venus Throw (@OneVenusThrow) June 25, 2018
Prince William is scheduled to complete his stay by visiting historical and religious sites in Jerusalem on Thursday.
#Israel Anger as UK Prince #William Set to Visit ‘Occupied’ East Jerusalem https://t.co/HveDivvhY9 @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/D0VFUBK8GV
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) June 19, 2018
The contentious trip attracted significant attention earlier this month after Kensington Palace released Prince William’s itinerary. Its reference to the “Occupied Palestinian Territories”, though in line with UN resolutions, is an uncommon language for Western officials to employ.
At the time Jerusalem Affairs Minister Zeev Elkin slammed the prince for the word choice.
(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
even the BBC called the West Bank’ israeli occupied’ so there is obviously a press release out to admit this, and they seem proud of it of course