Prince William voices ‘hope for lasting peace’ during first ever royal visit to West Bank

Second-in-line to throne refers to Palestinian territories as a 'country'

‘I’m very glad our two countries work so closely together and have had success stories,’ the Duke of Cambridge tells Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, in Ramallah (Getty)

Prince William has made the inaugural British royal visit to the Palestinian territories as part of his first official engagement in the Middle East.

The second-in-line to the throne toured a displaced people’s camp in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Wednesday before meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

The prince was greeted with a red carpet and bagpipe players when he arrived at the Palestinian Authority headquarters in Ramallah.

“I’m very glad our two countries work so closely together and have had success stories with education and relief work in the past, so, long may that continue,” William told the president.

“My sentiments are the same as yours in hoping that there is a lasting peace in the region," the prince continued.

The use of the word 'countries' was noted by many Israelis on social media. The UK government does not officially recognise the Palestinian territories as a country, and the royal family is ostensibly apolitical.

Prince William meets members of the community at Jalazone refugee camp, north of Ramallah, on 27 June 2018 (Getty)

On a visit to a Palestinian settlement in Jordan last weekend, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn promised that any Labour government would promptly recognise Palestine as a state.

Both Israeli and Palestinian officials have been eager to welcome the Duke of Cambridge this week on his four-day trip to the region, which also took in the Jordanian capital Amman.

Israeli president Reuven Rivlin asked the prince to deliver a “message of peace” to Mr Abbas during their meeting in Jerusalem the previous day.

Prince William’s visit comes at a time of heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, exacerbated by growing frustration at the stalled peace process and dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinians have also officially cut ties with Donald Trump’s administration after the US decided to recognise the contested city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel last year.

The move was a catalyst for the worst violence suffered by Palestinians since the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, with more than 120 people shot and killed by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) snipers in recent protests on the Gaza border.

“The Palestinian side is committed to the peace process with the Israelis, so both states could live peacefully together within the borders of 1967,” Mr Abbas told reporters during his public meeting with the prince.

No British royal has ever visited Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a state visit before - trips which are made at the request of the British government.

It has been unofficial policy that no such visit would be made until the 70-year-old conflict is resolved.

“It’s not a time when [William] can come and celebrate success in the Middle East peace process or anything of that sort, but it is a time when we can show our interest in the region,” Philip Hall, the UK’s consul-general in Jerusalem, told Reuters before the prince left the UK.