A recent British opinion poll revealed that 78% of UK citizens consider the Israeli occupation a pressing threat to international security and peace, ranking it as the second most serious global threat after Russia, which garnered 89%.
The National Centre for Social Research in Britain conducted the survey, which showed a significant rise in negative perceptions toward the occupation. In 2005, only 48% viewed it as a threat, with a further increase of ten percentage points compared to last year, reflecting a profound shift in British public awareness.
Researchers attributed this dramatic change to the aggressive policies and violent developments in the region, particularly the extensive destruction caused by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. The occupation’s involvement in successive military conflicts, including recent bombardments, has directly damaged its reputation, placing it alongside Iran and North Korea as destabilizing powers.
The British concern extended beyond the occupation; 74% of respondents also saw the United States as a serious threat to global peace, a doubling from 2024, highlighting growing unease with Washington’s foreign policy.
The poll demonstrated bipartisan consensus on the gravity of the occupation’s actions, with 88% of Green Party supporters, 84% of Labour voters, 70% of Conservatives, and 99% of Liberal Democrats expressing worry. Notably, these sentiments are intensifying among younger demographics.
The survey concluded that rising insecurity is fueling calls from 56% of Britons for increased defense spending, marking a historic high, alongside greater public support for strengthening security ties with Western European countries to confront international volatility stemming from conflicts fueled by the occupation and its allies.