Prince William begins Israel visit, honours Holocaust victims

Jerusalem, June 26: Britain's Prince William began his Israel tour on Tuesday by visiting a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, where he paid his respects to those killed at the hands of Nazi Germany during World War II.

As part of his three-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories, the Duke of Cambridge laid a wreath in memory of those who died and rekindled the eternal flame in the Hall of Remembrance at Jersualem's Yad Vashem centre, Efe news reported.

"It has been a profoundly moving experience to visit Yad Vashem today," Prince William wrote in the guest book at the memorial site.

"It is almost impossible to comprehend this appalling event in history. Every name, photograph and memory recorded here is a tragic reminder of the unimaginable human cost of the Holocaust and the immense loss suffered by the Jewish people," he said in the message. His visit to the museum was "immensely poignant", a UK royal family statement said, recalling that last year William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, had visited Stutthof concentration camp in Poland and Berlin's Holocaust Memorial.

The prince met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara afterwards and was also expected to meet the country's President Reuvin Rivlin at his official residence.

Prince William will also attend a charity soccer event with children and teenagers in Jaffa and other official engagements before travelling to the neighbouring Palestinian Territories. (IANS)