On the historic first official Royal visit to Israel, Prince William visited Yad Vashem and met top Israeli leaders, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.
The prince began by visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial located in Jerusalem. He laid a wreath at the memorial’s Hall of Remembrance and met with two survivors. He was accompanied at Yad Vashem by British Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis and Yad Vashem Chairman Avner Shalev.
“It is almost impossible to comprehend this appalling event in history. Every name, photograph and memory recorded here is a tragic reminder of the unimaginable human cost of the Holocaust and the immense loss suffered by the Jewish people,” the prince wrote in the guest book.
“The story of the Holocaust is one of darkness and despair, questioning humanity itself. But the actions of those few who took great risks to help others are a reminder of the human capacity for love and hope. I am honored that my own great grandmother is one of these Righteous Among the Nations.”
Following his visit to Yad Vashem, Prince William was welcomed to Israel by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. While with the Netanyahus, the prince was introduced to Edith and Phillipe Cohen, whose ancestors were protected from the Nazis by Princess Alice, William’s great-grandmother. Alice is buried in Israel and William is slated to visit her grave on Thursday.
At the @IsraeliPM’s residence, The Duke of Cambridge, PM @Netanyahu and Mrs Netanyahu met Edith and Phillipe Cohen, two descendants of people sheltered by Princess Alice, The Duke’s great-grandmother, during the Holocaust. pic.twitter.com/BhevDJFvE6
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) June 26, 2018
After meeting with the Prime Minister, Prince William went to the President’s residence to meet with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. During the meeting, Rivlin asked the prince to tell Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he brings “a message of peace,” when he meets the Palestinian leader later this week.
The prince told Rivlin that he hoped that he would “meet as many Israelis as possible – and understand Israeli history and culture in the next few days.”
Later in the day, Prince William traveled to Tel Aviv and Jaffa, where he met with Jewish and Arab children for a soccer event. He successfully kicked two out of three goals in a penalty shootout.
Prince William scored two out of three in a penalty shootout today at a cross-community project in Jaffa. Not the Penalty King but not bad. Here are his first two. pic.twitter.com/kVWe3BqrtK
— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) June 26, 2018
The prince also met with Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and visited the Tel Aviv beach.
[Photo: The Royal Family Channel / YouTube]