Israeli President Shimon Peres may receive an honorary title from the Queen on his forthcoming visit to Britain next month. The details of the visit, which was reported first in the JC last month, and the bestowing of any possible title, are still under discussion between the Foreign Office and Buckingham Palace.
Mr Peres will visit Britain on November 18 for three days and though the trip is not classified as an official state visit, he will also meet the Queen.
Under the headline "Sir Peres," a report in the popular Israeli tabloid Yediot Ahronot this morning, based on sources in the Israeli Foreign Ministry, said that Mr Peres would receive a knighthood during his visit. This is inaccurate as foreign citizens can only receive honorary knighthoods, are not gazetted and do not have the right to call themselves "Sir." These titles are usually conferred upon the recommendation of the Foreign Office. As it is, the title that Mr Peres, may or may not receive next month has yet to be finalised.
Sources involved with preparing the visit say that the Palace has yet to get back to the Foreign Office on the matter and he may receive a lesser award than an honorary knighthood, if at all.