BICOM

A new opinion poll has revealed that British people are more favourable towards Israel than at any point since 2010.

Populus surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2021 British adults in October on behalf of Israel and Middle East think tank BICOM. The poll showed that 21 per cent of respondents said they feel warm towards Israel.

The survey also recorded the lowest level of support for boycotts since 2014, at 11 per cent. 48 per cent of respondents “do not support boycotts of Israel and find it difficult to understand how others do given everything else that is going on in the world”. Young people have significantly reduced their level of support for boycotts in the last three years. This year, 45 per cent of the 18-24 cohort said they opposed singling out Israel for boycotts, in 2015 28 per cent opposed boycotts.

Respondents were also asked whether the 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which the British Government expressed support for establishing a Jewish national home in Palestine, was the right policy. 38 per cent agreed, whilst 17 per cent disagreed. Respondents were given the full text of the declaration.

The UK government will commemorate the centenary of the Balfour Declaration next week. Prime Minister Theresa May will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in London. As well as a bilateral meeting in Downing Street they are expected to attend a special event together to mark the centenary.

The poll also found that 49 per cent agreed Israel is the most important ally in the Middle East in the fight against terror and the fourth most important post-Brexit trading partner in the region, after Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.