Prince Harry has said the rise in anti-Semitism in Britain is deeply troubling and that any anger people feel about events in the Middle East cannot justify hostility towards people or beliefs.
In an article for the New Statesman magazine, Harry, 41, indirectly criticized Israeli government policies, but said legitimate protest should not turn into hatred.
“Across the country, we are seeing a deeply worrying rise in anti-Semitism,” King Charles’s younger son wrote Thursday.
“Jewish communities – families, children, ordinary people – are being made to feel unsafe in the very places they call home. This should concern us, but it should also unite us.”
In his article, Harry, who did not directly reference Israel, said there was “deep and justified concern at the scale of the damage in the Middle East” and that images of the destruction from Gaza, Lebanon and elsewhere “have shocked people to the core”.
Harry, who now lives in California, said, “We have seen how legitimate opposition to state actions in the Middle East is alongside hostility toward domestic Jewish communities – just as we have seen how easily criticism of those actions can be dismissed or misrepresented.”
“Nothing, whether criticism of a government or the reality of violence and destruction, can ever justify hostility toward an entire people or faith.”
The prince was criticized for wearing a Nazi uniform at a costume party 20 years ago, and he admitted it.
“I am fully aware of my past mistakes – reckless actions for which I have apologized, taken responsibility and learned,” he said.
Prince Harry’s article comes months after he and Meghan Markle took a humanitarian trip to Jordan, where the royal couple also met with Palestinian refugees.
The Duke of Sussex’s comments about Israel after the visit did not sit well with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Shereen Haskell.
Speaking to an outlet, he said the Duke of Sussex’s comments claiming Israel has closed humanitarian corridors are “extremely disappointing” for promoting “false narratives”.
“Prince Harry, with all due respect, before he uses his global platform to make accusations against Israel, I would suggest a very simple step: come and see for yourself.
She said, “I personally invite you to visit the humanitarian corridor and see firsthand how aid is coordinated and distributed. You are welcome to speak directly with the British general serving at the CMCC center – the British representative who serves as deputy commander with US forces overseeing the movement of humanitarian goods. He will tell you clearly: the corridors are open, and thousands of trucks are entering every day.
“It’s extremely disappointing to see influential people making claims without corroborating them. With the access and authority you have as a member of the British Royal Family, words matter. Facts matter even more.”
The Deputy Foreign Minister also reposted his comments on his official X account.
