Melanie Phillips
Substack, Feb. 20, 2024
“If he really wants to end the fighting, he might have a word with his family’s beloved chums in the royal family of Qatar — the state that runs Hamas, shelters its leader Ismail Haniyeh and could therefore end this war tomorrow.”
What on earth was HRH the Prince of Wales thinking when he released his statement about the war in Gaza? It is an iron rule that the Royal Family doesn’t make political or controversial interventions. The institution of the British monarchy draws its strength and unique value as a source of national unity from the fact that it is resolutely above such things.
Yet Prince William today waded into Israel’s war in Gaza. On the eve of tomorrow’s deeply contentious vote on a call for an immediate ceasefire by Israel, Prince William said the following:
I remain deeply concerned about the terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct 7. Too many have been killed.
I, like so many others, want to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. It’s critical that aid gets in and the hostages are released.
Sometimes it is only when faced with the sheer scale of human suffering that the importance of permanent peace is brought home. Even in the darkest hour, we must not succumb to the counsel of despair. I continue to cling to the hope that a brighter future can be found, and I refuse to give up on that.
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