The Duke of Sussex has spoken out about the recent wave of antisemitic incidents in the UK, writing that “hate and extremism” flourishes when people stay silent
The Duke of Sussex has spoken out about the “deeply troubling” rise in antisemitism throughout the UK in a newly published opinion piece.
Harry stressed the importance of “legitimate protest”, explaining that he felt compelled to speak up as, in his view, staying silent allows “hate and extremism to flourish unchecked”, reports the Mirror..
In his piece for The New Statesman, he drew attention to recent “lethal violence” targeting Jewish communities in Manchester and London, asserting that “hatred directed at people for who they are, or what they believe, is not protest. It is prejudice”.
Harry also touched upon the “deep and justified alarm” surrounding the extent of casualties in Gaza and Lebanon, while insisting that people must be more “clear” about the direction of their anger.
The Duke wrote: “We have seen how legitimate protest against state actions in the Middle East does exist alongside hostility toward Jewish communities at home – just as we have also seen how criticism of those actions can be too easily dismissed or mischaracterised.”
“Nothing, whether criticism of a government or the reality of violence and destruction, can ever justify hostility toward an entire people or faith.”
He conceded that he had learned from his own “past mistakes”. Back in January 2005, at the age of 20, Harry was photographed donning a Nazi uniform at a fancy dress party. The article highlights the lack of subtlety in much of the media discussion surrounding the recent surge of antisemitic incidents across the UK. The duke expresses concern about how divided public discourse has become, cautioning that it amplifies the uncertainty that “fuels division”.
Harry recognised that the urge to speak out, demonstrate and demand an end to suffering was “human and necessary” but emphasised that people must understand that the “onus falls squarely on the state – not an entire people”.
While he makes numerous references to “the state” throughout the piece, he does not mention Israel by name at any stage in the New Statesman article.
Harry wrote: “We cannot ignore a difficult truth: when states act without accountability, and in ways that raise serious questions under international humanitarian law – criticism is both legitimate, necessary and essential in any democracy.
“The consequences do not remain contained within borders. They reverberate outward, shaping perception, inflaming tensions.”
At an investiture ceremony on Wednesday, the daughter of Holocaust survivors disclosed that the Prince of Wales told her it is crucial to “preserve the truth” as she was awarded an OBE.
Speaking to the Press Association after the ceremony, Dr Bea Lewkowicz said William “pointed out that, especially now, it is important to, kind of, preserve the truth, because we live in this era of digital media” with “Holocaust distortion and rising antisemitism”.
Harry concluded his article with an appeal for “unity”, calling on people to take a resolute stand against both antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred “wherever it appears”. “When anger is turned towards communities – whether Jewish, Muslim, or any other – it ceases to be a call for justice and becomes something far more corrosive,” he wrote.
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