Majority of Brits agree: ‘Israel has right to defend itself’

A new poll of the British public shows that the majority in the UK believe Israel has the right to defend itself and are “angry and embarrassed” by the recent anti-Semitism in the UK as a result of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

The survey of over 2,000 people in the UK was commissioned by the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and conducted by Deltapoll.

They found that the majority, 55%, said they did believe Israel had a legitimate right to conduct defensive actions.

Just 10% of Britons believed Israel has no right to self-defence.

The survey also focused on anti-Semitism in the UK following the recent conflict. The majority expressed that they were “angry and embarrassed” by recent acts of anti-Semitism against the Jewish community by anti-Israel activists.

Two-thirds of respondents also said that Jews should not be asked to justify the actions the Israeli government.

According to the Jewish News, younger people were more likely to be hostile to Israel than older people. And many young people admitted to seeing anti-Semitism online through social media.

Claudia Mendoza, a co-chief executive of the JLC, said the survey results showed an increasing number of people in Britain saw racism as “a throwback to the past”.

She said: “Many of us will have asked ourselves the question that has returned again and again over the past few years: are we safe here?

“Is this still a country where we can make a Jewish life, and one where Jews are not just tolerated but also feel welcome?

“The good news from the survey is that most non-Jewish Britons are paying attention and share our concerns.”