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Prince Charles (Reuters)
Last update - 11:06 17/11/2007
E-mail snub to Israel by Prince Charles' aides sparks furor
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Prince Charles 

Senior aides to Britain's Prince Charles said there is "no chance" the prince would ever visit Israel as such a visit would boost Israel's international image. The aides wrote the comments, in August E-mails, after outgoing Israeli ambassador to Britain Zvi Heifetz extended an invitation to the prince via principal private secretary Sir Michael Peat and deputy private secretary Clive Alderton.

In E-mails published Thursday in London by The Jewish Chronicle, Peat politely thanked Heifetz and said the prince "would love to come." However, in a later E-mail Alderton sent to Peat, he complained that he was "being pursued."

Alderton asked is it "safe to assume there is no chance of this visit ever actually happening?" Alderton noted, "Acceptance would make it hard to avoid the many ways in which Israel would want HRH [Prince Charles] to help burnish its international image. In which case, let's agree a way to lower its expectations."
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The publication of the E-mails in the newspaper with the largest distribution in the British Jewish community is already causing a storm. Some community leaders asked to comment have stressed Prince Charles' fondness for the community and Jewish matters, while others are critical of his refusal to visit Israel.

There has never been an official visit of a member of the British royal family to Israel. Charles came to Israel in a private capacity for a few hours in 1995 for the funeral of slain prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

Prince Edward, the earl of Wessex and the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth, came to Israel for a visit classified as "private," in September. He had been invited by the Israel Youth Award program, a self-development group for Jewish and Arab youth that is affiliated with the Duke of Edinburgh's Award International Association.

His father, Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh, has also visited Israel to tour Yad Vashem, where a tree was planted in honor of his mother Princess Alice of Greece, who was recognized as "Righteous Among the Nations" for sheltering a Jewish family in her Athens home during the Holocaust.

In the past, senior British government sources and sources close to the royal family have said no official visit could take place before a peace agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

Charles' spokesman told The Jewish Chronicle in response to the report: "This is simply an internal E-mail about a possible visit by Clarence House officials to Israel. Any potential visit by the Prince of Wales would be undertaken at the recommendation of the government. The prince is continuing his regular engagement with the Jewish community in the UK and abroad.

Outgoing Israeli Ambassador Zvi Heifetz, who worked throughout his service to improve Israel's image, stated that "if that is what is written between two people so close to the prince, it reeks of worse than hypocrisy."

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      1.   Such a Anti Semitic Guy 04:30  |  ralphsrant1 16/11/07
      2.   Why should the Prince of Wales 04:33  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/11/07
      3.   A horse is a horse is a horse 04:37  |  Mendeleyev 16/11/07
      4.   Charles` image 04:49  |  Observer 16/11/07
      5.   Why would he want to visit an Apartheid State? 04:55  |  POP 16/11/07
      6.   Good For Him 04:55  |  Wally 16/11/07
      7.   Prince Charles 04:55  |  geoff 16/11/07
      8.   What do you expect 05:06  |  Alan 16/11/07
      9.   Everybody has to love Israel 05:07  |  Colin Wright 16/11/07
      10.   Persona non grata 05:10  |  Alan 16/11/07
      11.   WHO CARES ABOUT THIS SCOUNDREL PLAYBOY ON THE BRITISH PAYROLL? 05:10  |  VOICE)))))))) 16/11/07
      12.   the visit 05:28  |  Shmuelshachor 16/11/07
      13.   An anti-semite? 05:36  |  a reader 16/11/07
      14.   #5, Alan, exactly 05:55  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/07
      15.   prince charles 06:07  |  Dennis Slapo 16/11/07
      16.   Sad to say it 06:11  |  Sam 16/11/07
      17.   To Hell With the Weirdo 06:12  |  Tod Zuckerman 16/11/07
      18.   LET PRICE CHARLES STAY HOME 06:28  |  * BEN JABO 16/11/07
      19.   H... R... H... 06:48  |  Arnold Levy 16/11/07
      20.   A Royal Wart 06:50  |  Bill Foonman 16/11/07
      21.   British Royals Not Friendly to Jews / Israel 07:02  |  Liliane 16/11/07
      22.   Harry showed the royals true colours 07:03  |  miloimnick frm north 16/11/07
      23.   H... R... H... 07:08  |  jg 16/11/07
      24.   Prince Charles and what used to be the British Empire 07:09  |  Scott Havsy 16/11/07
      25.   Delusion 07:10  |  Philippe 16/11/07
      26.   Storm in an English tea-cup 07:18  |  sh 16/11/07
      27.   The reason that Israel cares what Prince Charles says.. 07:24  |  Natallie Durson 16/11/07
      28.   Cipora Julianna Kohn # 9 07:26  |  Philippe 16/11/07
      29.   Bully! 07:27  |  Hopeful 16/11/07
      30.   STAY AWAY! 07:41  |  Neil 16/11/07
      31.   There are enough parasites 07:51  |  NJG 16/11/07
      32.   ONE CELLED ANIMAL 07:54  |  NEAL 16/11/07
      33.   Who Cares! 08:06  |  Zelkha 16/11/07
      34.   Don`t panic 08:24  |  bobo 16/11/07
      35.   THE Royals don`t mind boosting the Saudi image for a quid. 08:27  |  PETER SM 16/11/07
      36.   Prince Charles holding the key to ME peace 08:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/07
      37.   Those angry Jews are not obliged to... 08:34  |  Dutch Dirk 16/11/07
      38.   #5 You have got it right 08:38  |  ka 16/11/07
      39.   still bitter that we kicked them out of our country 08:40  |  don 16/11/07
      40.   He`s welcome in Gaza 08:43  |  Jeff Jafaar 16/11/07
      41.   Why do you want this islamic apologist? 08:43  |  shaun 16/11/07
      42.   A Visit bt Charlie Would Improve Israel`s Image, How? 08:48  |  Michael 16/11/07
      43.   The Royal Family 08:50  |  MJ 16/11/07
      44.   he visited Iran a few years ago 08:55  |  Iranian Canadian 16/11/07
      45.   peace 08:57  |  democrat 16/11/07
      46.   JEW HATE IS A LONG LEGACY OF THAT SHITTY LITTLE ISLAND ENGLAND 08:58  |  Elizabeth 16/11/07
      47.   Let His Royal Tampon (HRT) Stay Home 09:04  |  Yishai Kohen 16/11/07
      48.   Prince Charles 09:07  |  Naim S. Mahlab 16/11/07
      49.   The Prince 09:08  |  Henry 16/11/07
      50.   Israel is Unfashionable 09:14  |  guy 16/11/07
      51.   PLEASE DO US ALL A FAVOR AND STAY IN ENGLAND 09:15  |  Jew 16/11/07
      52.   Those pestering, mithering, demanding, whining Israelis 09:23  |  Clickfool 16/11/07
      53.   criminal state 09:25  |  Londoner 16/11/07
      54.   Antisemitism stiff upper lip style!! 09:27  |  Yoel 16/11/07
      55.   Reply to Sam (Post No. 11) 09:27  |  Johnny Weintraub 16/11/07
      56.   Charlie boy 09:32  |  thinking clearly 16/11/07
      57.   DUTCH DRK.You are not obliged to be a hero of Arabia in Holland 09:32  |  PETER S.M. 16/11/07
      58.   LINTHWAITE.Brits have been killing Jews throughout history. 09:47  |  PETER S.M. 16/11/07
      59.   Prince Charles furor 09:47  |  I.Kemp 16/11/07
      60.   Jerusalem or Prince Charles......????? 09:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/11/07
      61.   CFOOL.Gimme?What exactly are you GIVING Israel. 09:57  |  PETER S .M. 16/11/07
      62.   #37, Dino 10:00  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/11/07
      63.   Queen`s Uncle Loved Hitler 10:01  |  Albert 16/11/07
      64.   rRe Mendel #3 10:01  |  Esther 16/11/07
      65.   Dutch and Londoner: Image of Holland / UK worse than Israel 10:05  |  Laila 16/11/07
      66.   Heifetz is a trouble maker 10:05  |  Jon 16/11/07
      67.   Re Observer #4 10:06  |  Esther 16/11/07
      68.   British Royal Family Supported the Nzis 10:10  |  Shmuel Saitowitz 16/11/07
      69.   Charles Windsor is no gentleman 10:10  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 16/11/07
      70.   Re Chris #2 10:10  |  Esther 16/11/07
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