Prince William condemns rise in anti-Semitism during synagogue visit

Prince William condemned the rise in anti-Semitism during a visit to the synagogue.

The Prince of Wales said he has “no place in society” as he met young people and students in London.

He was briefed on a rise in anti-Semitism since the October 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza.

He was scheduled to give a reading Tuesday at the funeral of the late former King Constantine of Greece.

While at the Western Marble Arch synagogue in central London, the 41-year-old met a Holocaust survivor and student representatives and young Jews who told him how anti-Semitism had affected them.

The prince was told of its “dehumanizing” effect and said he wanted to “reassure everyone that people care.”

Edward Isaacs, head of the Union of Jewish Students of the United Kingdom and Ireland, told Prince William about “an explosion of antisemitism on campus that we have never seen before.”

“We have seen not only the number of incidents increase but also their severity. We have seen Jewish students receive death threats, we have seen Jewish students physically assaulted on campus, we have also seen Jewish property desecrated on campus.”

Even Jewish students who have not faced anti-Semitism know that someone has, he added, creating “a climate of fear that we have never known before.”

“It’s never been like this before,” Emma Levy, president of the Leeds Universities Jewish Society, told him. “Our grandparents and parents say the same thing.”

Condemning the rise of hatred towards the Jewish community, Prince William said: “Well, you’ve heard it from me, anti-Semitism has no place in society. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.”

He added: “Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism that you have spoken so eloquently about this morning, and I am very sorry that you have had to experience that.”

The prince also said it was “important” for people to “break out” of the “boxes” that keep them apart.

“Many live in their silos, in their social media echo chamber, they don’t have different influences, they don’t have anything else, they may not have anyone they know who is Jewish… it’s very important that we break out of those boxes. “

After the visit, Isaacs praised the prince for being an “ally.”

The heir to the throne also met with Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, who described her fears about anti-Semitism and told him: “It must be horrible for all of you to worry about this and I’m sorry it’s come to this point. Everything will get better.” . “

The 94-year-old told William how she was moved from “ghetto to ghetto” during World War II.

The prince expressed his condolences when he said his mother died 12 days after they were liberated from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp by the British army in 1945.

He suggested that it was important for those who lived through the Holocaust to continue talking to the next generation, to which Salt responded that “some of the young people don’t even believe this happened.”

Salt also said he wished the prince’s wife Catherine, who is recovering from abdominal surgery she underwent last month, had been with him as he would have liked to have met her.

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said Prince William “reminded us that anti-Semitism is not just a problem for the Jewish community but for all of society.”

He added that his “visit sends a powerful message that Britain is a country where Jews, whether Holocaust survivors who came to seek refuge or young Jewish students, are welcomed and celebrated. It reminds us that even in the darkest days, the Jewish community is not alone.

Speaking on Tuesday, Kensington Palace said the Princess of Wales continues to do well as it announced Prince William was withdrawing from the memorial service.

As King Charles steps away from public duties during his cancer treatment, Prince William will take on some of his work.

On the day of his visit to the Red Cross headquarters in London, Prince William delivered a tough speech on the conflict between Israel and Gaza, calling for “an end to the fighting as soon as possible” and describing the “terrible human cost of the conflict.” “. conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack.

He added that there is a “desperate need to increase humanitarian support to Gaza” and for the hostages to be released.

The Hamas attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and more than 240 were taken hostage.