Israeli media has reacted to Queen Elizabeth II’s ‘unofficial boycott’ of Israel during her 70 years as the British monarch. Several Israeli media outlets and commentators have chosen to speak about the Queen’s boycott of Israel after her death last week.
Israeli newspaper Haaretz wrote, “In her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II crisscrossed the globe, but purposely skipped Israel. In 1984, during a visit to Jordan, she found the settlements ‘depressing’ and the (Israeli) Air Force’s planes frightening.”
Writing for Haaretz, Ofer Aderet recalled, “In 1986, Margaret Thatcher became the first British leader to visit Israel. Journalist David Landau, later Haaretz editor-in-chief, dared to ask her when the queen would visit. “But I’m here,” the Iron Lady replied. In 2014, not long before he passed, Landau was awarded the OBE for his contributions to Israeli-British relations. He did not ask the queen directly why she refrained from visiting here.”
The Jerusalem Post too raised the topic after the Queen’s death as write Greer Fay Cashman wrote, “She (the Queen) visited Jordan, Egypt and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa – but never Israel.”
Cashman added, “It was commonly believed that the British Foreign Office, for fear of Arab boycotts, had advised the queen not to visit Israel, but even after there was no longer any real fear of boycotts and oil embargoes, the queen still did not come.”
No members of the British royal family visited Israel in an official capacity until 2018, when Prince William (now Prince of Wales after the Queen’s death), visited the country to take part in its 70th anniversary of independence.
One of the reasons for this unofficial boycott was perceived to be the fear of upsetting wealthy Gulf countries.
The Queen visited several Middle-East countries during her reign. In 1984, she visited Jordan when he was appalled to see the Israeli fighter jets flying in the sky. The Queen had reportedly said, “How frightening!” The then Queen Nour of Jordan had replied, “It’s terrible.”
According to the Middle East Eye, later, after looking at a map showing the locations of illegal settlements of Israelis in the occupied West Bank, the Queen had said, “What a depressing map.”
The British monarch died at the age of 96 last week. Her eldest son, Prince Charles, has now been proclaimed to be the new monarch, who will be known as King Charles III.
The Queen invited former President of Israel Shimon Peres at Buckingham Palace in London on 20 November 2008, where the latter was presented with an honorary knighthood.