President Mahmud Abbas on Thursday welcomed this summer’s “important” visit by Prince William, the first official trip to the Palestinian territories by a member of the British royal family.
“We look forward to contributing to strengthening the bonds of friendship between the two peoples,” a statement from the Palestinian presidency on official news agency WAFA said, calling the visit “important”.
Kensington Palace announced the trip earlier Thursday that will also take in Israel and Jordan.
He will also be the first senior British royal to make an official visit to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed what he said would be “a historic visit” to his country.
Jordan has received British royals multiple times, including a state visit by Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in 1984.
