Britain's Prince William arrives on a Royal Air Force plane at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 25, 2018. William has arrived in Israel for the first-ever official visit by a member of the British royal family. His arrival Monday ends the monarchy's mostly hands-off approach to one of the world's most sensitive regions. For the 36-year-old William, second in line to the throne, it marks a high-profile visit that could brandish his international credentials. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Britain's Prince William arrives on a Royal Air Force plane at the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 25, 2018. William has arrived in Israel for the first-ever official visit by a member of the British royal family. His arrival Monday ends the monarchy's mostly hands-off approach to one of the world's most sensitive regions. For the 36-year-old William, second in line to the throne, it marks a high-profile visit that could brandish his international credentials. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner) Credit: Sebastian Scheiner

Jerusalem — Prince William arrived in Israel on Monday for the first-ever official visit of a member of the British royal family to the tumultuous region London once ruled.

Arriving from neighboring Jordan, the Duke of Cambridge landed at Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport and then departed to Jerusalem, where he will stay at the elegant King David Hotel, site of the former administrative headquarters of the British mandate.

Three decades of British rule between the two world wars helped establish some of the fault lines of today’s Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Britain’s withdrawal in 1948 led to the eventual establishment of Israel and Jordan.

Britain has since taken a back seat to the United States in mediating peace efforts, and the royal family has mostly steered clear of the region’s toxic politics.

For the 36-year-old William, second in line to the throne, it marks a high-profile visit that could brandish his international credentials.

Though the trip is being billed as non-political, and places a special emphasis on technology and joint Israeli-Arab projects, William also also be meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and visiting landmark Jerusalem sites at the heart of the century-old conflict.

The prince kicked off his five-day Middle East tour in Jordan, where he met young scientists, refugees and political leaders.

In Jordan, he also attended a reception marking the birthday of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.