WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT
Be still my heart! Is it true that at the request of Her Majesty’s Government, the Duke of Cambridge – aka Prince William – will be embarking on what appears to be state visit to Israel?
There is a Yiddish expression: “Az meh lebbt, derlebbt men.” Loosely translated, it means, if you live long enough, you will live long enough to see everything. The upcoming trip will be the first time there has been a state visit by the British since the Royal Army departed Haifa Port in May 1948, thereby ending 21 years of British rule. Up until now, whenever Israeli officials have visited 10 Downing Street and extended an invitation to reciprocate with a state visit to Israel, without fail, the British have answered: “When the time is right.”
Mah Nishtanah? Why is this year different from all other years? A political analyst, I’m not. Nevertheless, I cannot help but feel that there are at least three reasons for “dispatching the duke.” Regardless of how one views the American decision to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, most will agree that it has produced positive repercussions throughout the world. Seeing that such a move did not result in any Arab rising, realizing that the mantra Itbah al Yahud (murder the Jew) did not pierce the air over the Gaza Strip, governments of various countries have been rethinking their concern that such a move would be catastrophic throughout the Arab world, making their countries perfect targets for “humiliated Arab militants.” Put differently, other countries may be taking the approach of “if it’s good enough for Uncle Sam, it’s good enough for me.” This is not to suggest that Britain has any plans to relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv. It does appear however, that Jerusalem has achieved a higher level of “political kashrut” in the eyes of world leaders.
Perhaps it’s time for the British to stop the charade they have been playing. The unofficial boycott of Israel that has been in place for these past 70 years was due in no small part because of the indignation on the part of the British toward Zionist extremists (Lehi and the Irgun) who (finally) dared to retaliate against the British for sending Jews to the gallows for crimes committed against the (British) government. It’s not just that time heals all wounds; it’s that over the years, the British have made state visits to Kenya as well as other countries where anti-colonialist combatants have carried out even more heinous executions against the British. Such a double standard on the part of the British is intolerable as well as indefensible.
Thirty years ago, Princess Alice of Battenburg (great-grandmother of the Duke) who proudly wore the designation of righteous Gentile bestowed upon her by Yad VaShem for providing a home and shelter for the Cohen family, as the Nazis were hunting down Jews, was reinterred in Jerusalem. In accordance with the request set forth in her will, her remains were taken from Saint Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle and placed in the Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives. Since that time, there has been any number of clandestine visits by the Royal family. When Prince Charles was in Jerusalem for the funeral for Shimon Peres (an unofficial visit) it was prearranged that he slip away and visit the grave of his paternal grandmother. It was only after the Prince of Wales had departed back to England that the press was permitted to disclose that he had performed the “mitzvah” of “Kever Avot.” Perhaps it’s time for the British to stop this hypocrisy as well.
And so, from the bottom of my heart, I say “cheers” to the “Duke” which roughly can be translated as Todah Rabbah!
