President Chaim Herzog of Israel today invited Britain’s Queen Elizabeth to visit Israel. The invitation was made at Windsor Castle, where the Queen and President met over luncheon.
Since overseas royal visits have to be cleared by the British government, the Queen was unable to confirm her acceptance of it. Last week she visited Jordan, 18 years after being invited there by King Hussein. It is believed that she was also informally invited to Israel, when former President Ephraim Katzir called on her eight years ago.
Although the Queen was unable to signify her acceptance of today’s invitation, there is no doubt that a royal visit to Israel would be popular with the British public. Numerous newspaper editorials have complained at the fact that there has never been a royal visit to Jerusalem even though the Queen has officially visited three Arab states. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher has also been invited to Israel, and has accepted in principle. This emerged from a meeting which she and Herzog had last Friday at 10 Downing Street, the Premier’s residence. Mrs. Thatcher, a long-standing friend of Israel, last visited it before becoming Prime Minister.
Today’s visit to the Queen marked the climax of the five-day visit here by Herzog and his wife Aura, as guests of the Jewish community. Last night, the couple were greeted tumultuously by 1,000 guests at a dinner organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Joint Israel Appeal. Songs of welcome were sung by the Zemel Choir, Britain’s leading Jewish choir.
HERZOG’S VISIT A MEDIA SUCCESS
Meanwhile, Herzog’s visit here has been a media and political success. The British public has been won over by his strong British connections — his Irish birth, his distinguished war record, his ownership of an honorary British Knighthood, and his reputation as an author and distinguished military commentator on the BBC.
The friendship shown to Herzog is in sharp contrast with the animosity engendered here last year by Israel’s seizure of Beirut and the Sabra and Shatila massacres of Palestinians by Israeli-backed Christians. The Jewish community, too, has been deeply heartened by Herzog’s visit, judging by the incessant stream of delegations which have called on him at his London hotel suite for the past five days.
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