Israeli officials expressed their condolences after the British Royal Family announced the death of Queen Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip, formally known as the Duke of Edinburgh, on Friday.”My deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Prince of Wales, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom” tweeted Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin, adding, “May his memory be a blessing.”
My deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy to HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH The Prince of Wales, the @RoyalFamily and the people of the United Kingdom on the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. May his memory be a blessing.— Reuven Rivlin (@PresidentRuvi) April 9, 2021
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed his “Condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was the consummate public servant and will be much missed in Israel and across the world.”
I express my deepest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was the consummate public servant and will be much missed in Israel and across the world.— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 9, 2021
Both opposition leader and Yesh Atid Paty head Yair Lapid and Labor head Merav Michaeli were among the first of Israel’s major political figures to express support for the Royal Family, with Michaeli adding that, “Philip served the people of the United Kingdom with honour and devotion.”New Hope head Gideon Sa’ar tweeted that, ” Prince Philip was a man of determination, and will be remembered for his lifetime of service to the people of the UK.”
I send my sincerest condolences to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal Family, and all the British people on the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was a man of determination, and will be remembered for his lifetime of service to the people of the UK.— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) April 9, 2021
A Greek prince, Philip married the queen in 1947, and had been by her side throughout her 69-year reign.”His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle. Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss,” the statement by the Royal Family read.
Philip’s support for Jewish and pro-Israel causes ran deep. His mother, Princess Alice of Greece, sheltered a Jewish family during the Holocaust and is recognized as one of fewer than 30,000 “righteous among the nations” by Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust museum.
My sincere condolences to the British @RoyalFamily, the British people and the UK Jewish community on the passing of Prince Philip. Duke of Edinburgh was part of a generation who fought the Nazis in WW2 .His mother was a Righteous Among the Nations. May his memory be a blessing— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) April 9, 2021
Reuters and Herb Keinon contributed to this report.