The British magazine “The New Statesman” published an article by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, in which he expressed his fears of a divided Britain and called for confronting anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. He also implicitly criticized Israel without naming it, and its aggression in Gaza and Lebanon “without accountability and in a way that raises serious questions about international humanitarian law.”
It is noteworthy that the BBC, in its report, chose to highlight only the first part of the headline and omitted the part concerning Islamophobia. Its headline read, “Harry expressed concerns over alarming rise in anti-Semitism in Britain.”
Harry said he had spoken “over the years about his concerns regarding the consequences of a world where anger is outpacing human emotion, where fear and division are amplified in a way that obscures reality, and where people are easily reduced to categories, identities, and opposing sides… What worries me now is how dangerously this same moral distortion has permeated parts of Britain.” He added, “There are moments when our values are tested, not in principle, but in practice. There are moments when silence is easier, but speaking out is essential.”
The prince stressed that “around the world, there is deep and justified concern about the scale of the losses in the Middle East. Images of Gaza, Lebanon and the wider region, of devastated communities and entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, have deeply shaken people.”
He added, “I have always believed that we have a responsibility to stand up against injustice wherever we find it, and to do so in defense of our common humanity. This belief does not change with location, nor is it related to any feeling of discomfort. That is precisely why I feel obligated to speak out now.”
He argued that “silence in these times is not neutrality, but rather absence. Too often, it is the instinct to stand on the sidelines that allows hatred and extremism to flourish unchecked. Britain has always prided itself on valuing reason over anger, dialogue over division, and civility over noise. In moments like these, those values become more important than ever.”
He stressed that “the country, throughout its various regions, is witnessing a very worrying rise in antisemitism. In Jewish communities, families, children, and ordinary individuals are being forced to feel unsafe in the places they consider home. This is worrying, but at the same time, it unites us. Because hatred directed against people because of their identity or beliefs is not protest; it is bigotry. Recent events, including the deadly acts of violence in London and Manchester, have brought this issue to the forefront in a very sharp and disturbing way.”
He added: “Around the world, there is deep and justifiable concern about the scale of the losses in the Middle East. Images from Gaza, Lebanon, and the wider region—of devastated communities and entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble—have deeply shaken people. For many, the instinct to speak out, to demonstrate, to demand accountability, and to call for an end to the suffering is a fundamental human instinct and is essential.” This appeared to be a defense of the right of pro-Palestinian demonstrators to protest against Israel, as voices within the British government and among supporters of Israel in the UK have been calling for a ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
He added: “These two facts are dangerously confused. We have seen how legitimate protest against state practices in the Middle East coexists with hostility towards Jewish communities at home, just as we have seen how easily criticism of those practices can be ignored or distorted. But nothing, whether it is criticism of a government (referring to Israel here) or of the reality of violence and destruction, can justify hostility towards an entire people or an entire religion.”
Prince Harry noted that “the debate has at times become so polarized that positions have been reduced to absolute truths. It has not allowed for nuanced details, which has only exacerbated the confusion that fuels the division. This debate has also ignored the diversity of opinions within Jewish communities, including many who are openly and explicitly critical of some of the actions of the state (referring to Israel).”
He stressed that “we cannot ignore a bitter truth: when states act with impunity and in ways that raise serious questions under international humanitarian law, criticism becomes legitimate, necessary and fundamental in any democratic system, because the consequences of these actions are not limited to the borders of the state, but extend beyond them, shaping perceptions and fueling tensions. Repeated ceasefire agreements have failed time and again and have left disastrous effects on civilians.”
The prince stressed that “the scale of human suffering is constantly increasing, which calls for continuous scrutiny and urgent action from the international community. We have also witnessed the heavy loss of journalists’ lives in Gaza, which undermines transparency and accountability at a time when they are most needed. Here, the full responsibility lies with the state (referring to Israel), not with an entire people. These actions have nothing to do with Judaism.”
The prince stressed that “the scale of human suffering calls for continuous scrutiny and urgent action from the international community. We have also witnessed the heavy loss of life of journalists in Gaza… and here the full responsibility lies with the state (referring to Israel).”
He added, “If we are serious about confronting this issue, we must be honest about the circumstances in which it arises, and be clear about the direction of the anger and where it should never be directed. When it is directed towards communities, whether Jewish, Muslim, or others, it ceases to be a call for justice and becomes something more destructive.”
Referring to wearing a Nazi uniform at a party 20 years ago, Harry admitted: “I am fully aware of my past mistakes, those careless actions for which I have apologized, taken responsibility for, and learned from. This experience reinforces my conviction that clarity is more important now than ever, at a time when confusion and distortion of the truth do real harm. Even if speaking up is not without consequences, it requires responsibility from all of us.”
The prince concluded his article by saying: “We cannot confront injustice with more injustice. If we do, we will not end this cycle, but rather prolong it. The only way to break it is to refuse to pass it on. This means being unequivocally decisive: to stand against anti-Semitism wherever it is found, recognizing that Islamophobia and all forms of racism stem from the same source of division. They must be confronted with the same resolve. It also means condemning the tragic loss of innocent lives not with fear, but with care and responsibility.”
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