Does the public support the government of Israel in Western European countries?

Published connected 06/06/2025 - 15:05 GMT+2•Updated 16:48

A caller YouGov study shows that nan favourability towards Israel successful Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Spain and Italy is astatine aliases adjacent its lowest level successful Western Europe since 2016.

The investigation interviewed 8,625 group from these six cardinal Western European countries betwixt November 2016 and May 2025.

Net favourability towards Israel successful Germany (-44), France (-48), and Denmark (-54) has reached its lowest level since YouGov started search successful 2016, while nationalist sentiment successful Italy (-52) and Spain (-55) are likewise astatine their lowest aliases associated lowest levels, contempt a shorter timespan from 2021 onwards.

A number of Europeans crossed these six countries deliberation Israel was correct to nonstop troops into Gaza, but judge they person since gone excessively acold and caused excessively galore civilian casualties.

This sentiment won nan astir support successful Germany astatine 40%, followed by Denmark astatine 39% and Britain astatine 38%.

On October 7, 2023, Hamas perpetrated a drawstring of violent attacks against Israel, sidesplitting almost 1,200 people. It besides took much than 250 hostages.

In response, Israel launched a ample aerial and crushed subject campaign, leaving much than 54,000 Palestinians dead, mostly women and children, according to nan Hamas authorities.   

Food supplies person besides been blocked, pinch nan Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)'s latest report stating half a cardinal group look starvation.

Between 7% and 18% of European respondents opportunity they sympathise astir pinch nan Israeli side, nan lowest fig successful astir countries since nan Hamas attacks.

By contrast, betwixt 18% and 33% opportunity they sympathise much pinch nan Palestinian side.

Only successful Germany are nan figures for each broadside similar, pinch 17% for Israel and 18% for Palestine.

Despite imperishable bid successful nan Middle East seeming distant to Europeans, French group are nan astir optimistic that some sides will group speech their differences wrong nan adjacent 10 years.

Meanwhile, Danes are nan slightest optimistic astatine 15%.

Across each countries, nan sentiment that bid is realistic has fallen successful fame by betwixt 4 and 10 percent points.