Over 10% of pro-Palestinian Brits: Expel Jews from the Middle East - poll

11% of pro-Palestinian respondents said they had a favorable view of Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organization in the UK.

 A demonstrator holds a placard with a cut-out depicting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a pro-Palestinian protest, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain March 9, 2024. (photo credit: HOLLIE ADAMS/REUTERS)
A demonstrator holds a placard with a cut-out depicting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a pro-Palestinian protest, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in London, Britain March 9, 2024.
(photo credit: HOLLIE ADAMS/REUTERS)

Some 11% of pro-Palestinian British adults support the expulsion of Jews from the Middle East, a YouGov poll published on Wednesday found.

The poll collected data from 4,061 respondees from across the UK.

The survey found that of the 29% of Brits who said they had more sympathy for the Palestinians than Israelis in the current conflict, 11% held a favorable view of Hamas. This equates to 4% of all British citizens.

Hamas is a proscribed Terrorist organization under UK law, and breaching the Terrorism Act (2000) can result in up to 14 years imprisonment.

Additionally, 14% of pro-Palestinian respondees said that they felt that Hamas’s October 7 terror attack was justified. This equates to 1 in 20 Brits holding this view.

On October 7, Hamas invaded Israel and murdered over 1200 people while taking 253 more captive. The UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict confirmed that there was significant evidence of Hamas committing acts of rape, sexual violence, and necrophilia during the attack. 

 People demonstrate on the day of a vote on the motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in London, Britain, February 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)
People demonstrate on the day of a vote on the motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, in London, Britain, February 21, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

More than half (51%) of pro-Palestinian respondees said that they had no sympathy for the Israeli side of the conflict. This equates to 21% of all Brits, more than 1 in 5.

Asked whether a solution to bringing peace to the Middle East was to expel all Jews from the region, 11% of pro-Palestinian Brits confirmed that they thought it was. This equates to 5% of the general population.

Asked whether a two-state solution would bring peace to the region, 83% of the pro-Palestinian respondees said it would, while 8% opposed two-states. 

A recent poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PCPSR) found that the number of Gazans who support a two-state solution has nearly doubled since December, from 35% to 62%. However, only 34% of Palestinians in the West Bank support two states. 

Pro-Israel responders

Among those more sympathetic to the Israel side of the conflict, 71% said they had a favorable view of Netanyahu’s government. 

A further 87% of pro-Israel Brits said that Israel’s military actions in Gaza have been justified, while 8% answered they did not think it was.

Nearly one-quarter (24%) of pro-Israel respondees said that they thought expelling Palestinians from the region would bring peace. 60% opposed this. More pro-Israel respondees (66%) thought a two-state solution would bring peace. 

More than half (55%) answered that they had no sympathy for the Palestinian side in the conflict.

Breaking down the data demographically

People who supported the conservative party were the most likely to be sympathetic to the Israeli side (27%) and second most likely to have equal sympathy for both sides (31%.)

Those who support the Labour Party were least likely to have sympathy with the Israeli side, with only 5% favoring Israel and 22% saying they have equal sympathy for both sides. 

Only 8% of Liberal Democrat voters had more sympathy with Israel.

More men (21%) said they felt more sympathy for Israel than women (9%.)

10% of respondents in the age group 18-24 had a favorable opinion of Hamas, which dropped to only 4% in the ascending age group category of 25-49. In age groups 50-64 and 65+, only 3% held favorable views of Hamas.

Over one-in-10 (13%) of 18-24 year old respondents said that October 7th was justified. This percentage dropped to 6% in the next ascending age category and halved to 3% among those aged over 50.

8% of Labour Party voters said that Hamas’s attack was justified.