Former Israeli president claims Queen Elizabeth ‘saw Israelis as terrorists’
Reuven Rivlin exposes frosty ties with late monarch but praises King Charles as 'so friendly' at Technion gala
Reuven Rivlin last night revealed the extent of his frosty relationship with Queen Elizabeth II.
The former President of Israel said: “The relationship between us and Queen Elizabeth was a little bit difficult, because she believed that every one of us was either a terrorist or a son of a terrorist.”
He added: “She refused to accept any Israeli official into (Buckingham) Palace, apart from international occasions.”
By comparison, he revealed King Charles III was always “so friendly”.
Asked by Jewish News to clarify his surprising comments, he stated: “These are my words, this is what I said.”
Israel’s 10th president made the unprecedented remark during a gala dinner commemorating 100 years of the Technion Institute of Technology, held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London.
King Charles twice visited Israel unofficially for the funerals of Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin, before undertaking an official visit in 2020. Queen Elizabeth II never visited Israel during her 70 year reign.
Addressing the 300-strong audience, Rivlin added: “I hope the new US president will herald a new era in the Middle East. We (Israel), alongside the Arabs and Arab nations are not doomed to live together, our destiny is to live to together.
“They (Arab nations) cannot kick us out as we have nowhere else to go. So let us all get on and live together in peace.”
On advice for the current PM, Rivlin cautioned: “Iron Dome is very important but you must have strategy before any tactics.”
Rivlin was honoured on the night as recipient of the 2024 Churchill Award, whose former winners include President Gorbachev and King Hussein of Jordan.
Israel has received five academic Nobel prizes, four of which are attributed to the Technion. These include the 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of ubiquitin mediated protein degradation, as well as the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems.
The leading research university has produced countless technological advancements, from harvesting the first embryonic stem cells in the world to inventing drip irrigation systems that have revolutionised agriculture in arid regions worldwide.
One of the university’s main current focuses is the Technion Reservist Fund, which gives financial and other support to 3,500 student reservists at the university.
Prof Uri Sivan, President of the Technion, said: “This has not been an easy year for the Technion. We have been severely hit by the war and its aftermath. Many of us have lost family members, with 12 of our family being abducted to Gaza on October 7th. Seven are still there.
“We are therefore proud to mark 100 years but are not celebrating.”
Entertainment on the night was provided by Ralph Bogard and Noa Bodner from the cast of the widely acclaimed Fiddler on the Roof production at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
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