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Last update - 09:45 07/09/2007
A royal insult
By Haaretz Editorial
Tags: Israel, Britain

Prince Edward, the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II, is visiting Israel this week as the guest of a Jewish-Arab youth organization. But, like previous visits by the royal family here, this one was also defined as 'private.' The 43-year-old prince met with neither the president nor the prime minister. In the 21st century, there is no diplomatic significance to royal visits, and princes do not negotiate on behalf of their governments. But there is symbolic importance in showing respect for the host country. That is certainly the case when it comes to Britain, an important power and the largest surviving kingdom. Britain played a decisive historic role in the Middle East in general and in Zionism in particular, and wants to take the lead in bringing about a solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict. Its former prime minister, Tony Blair, now represents the international community in its efforts to establish a Palestinian state.

Israel is soon to celebrate the 60th anniversary of its independence, which followed the end of the British Mandate. But despite the passage of so much time, successive British governments have insisted on according Israel a lower status than that of its neighbors in the region and have refused to approve royal visits here. Queen Elizabeth, who came to the throne 55 years ago and has since visited 129 nations, has yet to visit Israel. The crown prince, Charles, took part in prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's funeral a dozen years ago, but according to the rules of protocol, attendance at a state funeral is not considered a state visit. The queen has hosted Israeli presidents at Buckingham Palace, but has not reciprocated their visits.

Britain's explanation for this lack of royal visits recalls Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's longstanding evasion of a visit to Israel. The unofficial message is that Israel will enjoy normalization of its international status only when peace comes to the region. Lord Greville Janner, a leader of the British Jewish community, has said that a royal visit would be politically controversial. It seems that his remark is an expression of the British government's increasing fear of angering its large Muslim community.
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In recent years, British officials and organizations have stood at the forefront of the struggle to tarnish Israel's legitimacy. It was from Britain that the calls for an academic boycott of Israeli universities and scholars emerged. And it was there that arrest orders were issued against senior officers over alleged war crimes in the territories. A parliamentary committee issued a grave report last year on the spread of anti-Semitism in Britain.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said when he took office that his country stood alongside Israel in good times as in bad. But that is not enough. When the very legitimacy of the Jewish state is being increasingly undermined, the British government can and should demonstrate that it sees Israel as a country like all others, deserving of respect and even royal visits. This would grant important encouragement to Israelis who support the peace process and a compromise with the Arabs, and who seek to strengthen their country's international standing
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  1.   If the Brits act a bit stand-offish, they have good reason. 11:53  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/07
  2.   I agree totally with Haaretz 12:21  |  Mark B. 07/09/07
  3.   settler nation 12:25  |  otiwa ogede 07/09/07
  4.   @1 Natallie Durson 12:27  |  Mark B. 07/09/07
  5.   Do you take it as an insult? 12:28  |  Clickfool 07/09/07
  6.   Visit Israel, but visit Palestine as well 12:31  |  Michael 07/09/07
  7.   Why should they come? 12:35  |  Bernhard 07/09/07
  8.   If Israel wants a visit from the Queen 12:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/09/07
  9.   yeeeeeeeeeees Natallie you`ve said this before 12:38  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/09/07
  10.   The Dream Of Every Assimilated Jew 12:40  |  Ben Israel 07/09/07
  11.   It is difficult to find respect in the UK for Israel, it is 12:40  |  Dafna 07/09/07
  12.   And I wish you a happy ASBO too Clickfool 12:58  |  Jasmine Murphy 07/09/07
  13.   Princes visit` 13:23  |  mike 07/09/07
  14.   "9 Margie the "Moderat", sees the light. 13:28  |  Labhras 07/09/07
  15.   THERE WILL BE NO PEACE UNTIL THE JEWISH MESSIAH REIGNS ?? 13:30  |  Bill 07/09/07
  16.   Arrange a joint visit with the PA 13:33  |  john 07/09/07
  17.   Margie the "moderate"??????. 13:33  |  Labhras 07/09/07
  18.   British Jews 13:36  |  Joseph 07/09/07
  19.   Sensitve Spud Murphy. 13:43  |  Lanhras 07/09/07
  20.   BRITAIN CREATED THIS MESS 13:46  |  indrajaya 07/09/07
  21.   #5 the yellow streak shows courage when hidden 13:48  |  victor hardman 07/09/07
  22.   Dafna 13:48  |  Kay 07/09/07
  23.   Margie in TA 13:51  |  Natallie Durson 07/09/07
  24.   Land Thieves 13:51  |  Robert 07/09/07
  25.   Stay Home British Royal Family 14:00  |  Robert 07/09/07
  26.   typical pommey hypocracy 14:04  |  mike 07/09/07
  27.   GROW UP! Why Should The Brits/Anyone Validate Israel`s Actions? 14:07  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/09/07
  28.   If the British royals would like to pay a visit... 14:11  |  Dutch Dirk 07/09/07
  29.   ISRAEL HAS THE SUPPORT OF BIG DADDY..IT`S ENOUGH 14:11  |  Patriot 07/09/07
  30.   britain and its legacy 14:14  |  truth 07/09/07
  31.   24 Toronto Robert benefiting from UK land theft 14:31  |  Michael 07/09/07
  32.   Now you`re just being silly, Haaretz 14:34  |  Rowan Berkeley 07/09/07
  33.   #24 Robert 14:34  |  Labhras 07/09/07
  34.   Mike 26 typical lousy spelling 14:36  |  Michael 07/09/07
  35.   Not to mention, royals don`t like Jews 14:40  |  MarkC 07/09/07
  36.   #30struth and britain created oz and nz 14:47  |  victor hardman 07/09/07
  37.   Royals should stay away from the pirate state 14:49  |  John 07/09/07
  38.   A surefire way to prevent an official visit 14:51  |  Axel 07/09/07
  39.   For Jamine Murphy # 12 14:52  |  Clickfool 07/09/07
  40.   support...? 15:02  |  ravi 07/09/07
  41.   irgun/stern gang 15:10  |  martin 07/09/07
  42.   Kay, I appriciate your post. 15:14  |  Dafna 07/09/07
  43.   So Click you have nothing to say about your own country 15:16  |  Jasmine Murphy 07/09/07
  44.   #41 martin tells astory without the beginning the middle or the e 15:25  |  victor hardman 07/09/07
  45.   Lanhras (can`t even spell your own name?) 15:27  |  Jasmine Murphy 07/09/07
  46.   Visit 15:27  |  JW 07/09/07
  47.   29.....wisdom means..... 15:28  |  ravi 07/09/07
  48.   THE REASON IS THAT BRITAIN DOES NOT SUPPORT ISRAEL 15:35  |  Ian 07/09/07
  49.   A letter from the Israeli Gov to Buck House. 15:36  |  Labhras 07/09/07
  50.   Natallie 15:40  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/09/07
  51.   Keep the "Royal Family" out! 15:44  |  Mark Feinberg 07/09/07
  52.   To Clickfool on Jasmine Murphy and land-thieves 15:49  |  Mark B. 07/09/07
  53.   For Jasmine Murphy # 43 15:54  |  Clickfool 07/09/07
  54.   why would you israeli`s even want the brits to come to israel? 15:58  |  terrornator 07/09/07
  55.   natallie # 1 how many brits have the muslim/arabs killed? 16:01  |  terrornator 07/09/07
  56.   What a pointless column 16:08  |  Vey 07/09/07
  57.   Britons shou ld... 16:14  |  Mary 07/09/07
  58.   Britons shou ld... 16:14  |  Mary 07/09/07
  59.   It`s the occupation, stupid 16:17  |  Tosefta 07/09/07
  60.   Why do haaretz moderators let Natallie Durson infest each talk? 16:19  |  John Ryan 07/09/07
  61.   Much Ado About Nothing 16:21  |  17 07/09/07
  62.   "45 Spud Murphy 16:33  |  Labhras 07/09/07
  63.   brits and zion 16:37  |  ROB OF MELBOURNE AUS 07/09/07
  64.   You killers of British officials 16:38  |  Bazazo 07/09/07
  65.   #33 Michael 16:40  |  Robert 07/09/07
  66.   A Royal insult. 16:58  |  David Nigel Braham 07/09/07
  67.   Settlers & child killers 17:04  |  pop 07/09/07
  68.   Don`t be insulted! 17:08  |  Ian Robertson 07/09/07
  69.   It`s the occupation, stupid 17:28  |  Tosefta 07/09/07
  70.   royal insult 18:07  |  conal 07/09/07
  71.   Natallie Durson, heard of the Ben Yehuda Street Bombings? 18:15  |  Jake 07/09/07
  72.   John Ryan - Why would you want them to be banned 18:20  |  moll 07/09/07
  73.