Prince Charles dragged into Israel row

Prince Charles has been drawn into a row over his attitudes to Israel after one of his closest aides appeared to make disparaging remarks about the prospects of a visit to the country in an email exchange leaked to the Jewish Chronicle. Sir Michael Peat, the Prince's principal private secretary, and his deputy, Clive Alderton, had both received invitations from the Israeli Embassy in London for a four-day visit as guests of the Israeli parliament.
No member of the royal family has made an official visit to Israel in 60 years and it is believed the gesture was intended as a precursor to an official invitation to the Prince. Sir Michael's initial response was enthusiastic. In an email to the outgoing Israeli ambassador, Zvi Heivetz, he wrote: "The invitation to Israel is hugely appreciated and Clive and I would love to come."
However, six days later, a somewhat less enthusiastic Alderton wrote to Sir Michael, "I'm being pursued by the ambassador. Safe to assume there is no chance of this actually happening? Acceptance would make it hard to avoid the many ways in which Israel would want HRH to burnish its international image."
An editorial in the Jewish Chronicle questions the assumptions the Prince's senior staff might seem to hold about the Jewish state. Zvi Heivetz told the paper: "We have very good relations with Prince Charles. We hope to see him one day in Israel."  The Prince is a patron of the Jewish Museum and supports World Jewish Relief. ·