William met with 94-year-old Holocaust survivor Renee Salt
Prince William has condemned a rise in antisemitism during a synagogue visit.
The Prince of Wales said it “has no place in society” as he met young people and students in London.
He was told about an increase in antisemitism since the 7 October Hamas attacks and Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza.
It was William’s first public appearance since pulling out of a memorial service due to a “personal matter”.
William had been due to give a reading at Tuesday’s memorial for 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 Jewish student representatives and young people who told him how they had been affected by antisemitism.
William was told of its “dehumanising” effect and said he wanted to “reassure you all that people do care”.
“It’s never been like this before,” Emma Levy, the president of Leeds Universities Jewish Society, told him. “Our grandparents and parents say the same.”
Condemning the rise in hatred towards the Jewish community, William said: “Well, you’ve heard it from me, antisemitism has no place in society. I’ve said that before and I’ll say it again.”
He added: “Both Catherine and I are extremely concerned about the rise in antisemitism that you guys have talked about so eloquently this morning, and I’m just so sorry you’ve had to experience that.”
After the visit, Edward Isaacs, the head of the Union of Jewish students, praised William for being an “ally”.
Image source, PA Media
Prince William is shown a 17th-century Torah by Rabbi Daniel Epstein
The heir to the throne also met Holocaust survivor Renee Salt, who described her fears surrounding antisemitism and he told her: “I’m sorry it’s got to that stage.”
The 94-year-old also said she wished the prince’s wife Catherine – who is recovering from abdominal surgery she had last month – had been with him, as she would liked to have met her.
Speaking on Tuesday, Kensington Palace said the Princess of Wales is continuing to do well when announcing that William was pulling out of the memorial service.
As King Charles steps back from public duties during his cancer treatment, William is set to take on some of his work.
Last week, the Prince of Wales took part in a video call with Red Cross staff in Gaza, who gave him graphic first-hand accounts of their work.
On the day of the visit to the Red Cross headquarters in London, William released a strongly worded intervention on the Israel-Gaza conflict, calling for an “end to the fighting as soon as possible” and describing the “terrible human cost of the conflict in the Middle East since the Hamas terrorist attack”.
He added there is a “desperate need for increased 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 others were taken hostage.
The Israeli military campaign has killed more than 30,000 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
