Prince William is getting the attention he craved this week, just days after his brother completed a very successful and high-profile visit to Canada. With William, his need for (unearned) validation is mostly about Harry, but it’s also about deflection. Deflection from his god-awful gaffes at the BAFTAs, deflection from the fact that the Princess of Wales has not been seen or heard from in two full months, deflection from the fact that William is deeply and profoundly unprepared. But like all of William’s stunts, his sudden statement this week on the Middle East conflict landed with a dull political thud. There are completely valid questions about whether William’s statement means that he will enter the political fray all the time now, whenever he feels like it. The reaction from Israel has been officially “whatever, fine” while behind the scenes, Israeli officials are bitching about his naivete. That extends to the reaction from civilian Israelis:

Israelis reacted with a mix of indifference and irritation to a rare political intervention from Prince William calling for “an end to the fighting in Gaza”.

The Prince of Wales issued the statement on Tuesday in co-ordination with the Foreign Office, using the same phrase as Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron that “too many have been killed” during the Israel-Hamas war while calling for more aid to be allowed into Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Diplomatic sources suggested that less significance was being attached to the statement in Israel than in the UK. One aide to an Israeli MP compared the public reaction to previous calls from the Pope for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“The public is not impressed because the [Royal Family] does not have many powers,” the aide said.

Israeli social media discussion was often less respectful towards the British royal. Political lobbyist and former local government official Yamit Yanay-Malul accused the prince of a “ridiculous statement” and questioned whether he had used his connection to the Red Cross to press the charity to visit hostages in Gaza.

One Facebook commenter said Prince William should “first make peace with your brother”, alluding to the schism between Windsor and Prince Harry. Another urged him to “reprimand the citizens of Gaza, who co-operated with a…terror organisation”. Israeli news outlets carried reports on the statement, but typically short items placed below news on the progress of the war and negotiations with Hamas.

[From i News]

He “issued the statement on Tuesday in co-ordination with the Foreign Office” – no he didn’t. That was made clear by Kensington Palace’s briefings yesterday – the Foreign Office and Downing Street were merely “informed” of William’s statement but they did not coordinate with him about it. I genuinely believe that William has deeply irritated his Tory handlers, the men grooming him for the throne. As for “first make peace with your brother” – yeah, that’s another reason why William’s big political intervention falls flat. “Stop the violence, make peace” from a man who assaulted his brother, bullied his sister-in-law and, four years after their escape, he still seethes with violent rage about them. Hypocritical doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.