CONTINUING HIS PLEA FOR PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
STRONGLY CONDEMNS ANTISEMITISM ON HIS VISIT TO LONDON SYNAGOGUE
Wearing a kippah and tenderly holding 94-yearold Holocaust survivor Renee Salt’s hand, the Prince of Wales made a poignant visit to a London synagogue last week.
Prince William heard about Renee’s experience and concerns about the rise of antisemitism in the UK when they met in the Western Marble Arch Synagogue.
Renee, who was liberated from Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, spoke softly as she told the Prince: “It wasn’t easy. Somehow I survived.”
William took her hand when she described how her family have been affected by antisemitism in recent months, saying it was the worst she has witnessed since the rise of the Nazis in Germany.
William replied: “I’m so sorry it’s got to this stage – it will get better.”
Renee said: “I know if your wife [the Princess of Wales] had been well, she would have been here. I miss her so much, I really do. Give her my best wishes.”
Kate had been due to visit with her husband around Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January, but the outing was postponed as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
The Prince’s visit – the second of two dealing with the crisis in the Middle East – came ten days after he issued a strongly worded statement sharing his concerns about “the terrible human cost” of conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Kate had also been due to join him to visit the headquarters of the British Red Cross to hear about its efforts to support those trapped in Gaza, but he went there alone on 20 February.
STRONG SUPPORT
At the synagogue, he again spoke out, this time about the rise of antisemitism in the UK.
As he sat with students and ambassadors from the Holocaust Educational Trust, he said firmly: “Antisemitism has no place in society. Prejudice has no place in society. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.
“I want you all to know you can talk about it and your experiences.
“Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you have talked about this morning and I’m so sorry if any of you have had to experience that – it has no place. That’s why I’m here: to reassure you that people do care and we can’t let that go.”
Edward Isaacs, 22, president of the Union of Jewish S
