Nearly 80 percent of Britons see Israel as a threat to world peace

Nearly 80 percent of Britons see Israel as a threat to world peace, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). This sharp rise in negative sentiment towards Israel has occurred over the past two and a half years, following Israel's genocide in Gaza and the subsequent war on Iran.

While 78 percent of Britons now view Israel as a serious threat to global peace, only 17 percent believe that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza, as found in a separate YouGov poll commissioned by the Council for British-Arab Understanding. The war on Iran has impacted the UK economy, causing households to pay more for energy, food, and mortgages.

The Bank of England recently raised its base interest rate from 3.75 percent to 4 percent, marking the first increase in over three years. The higher rates will increase payments for borrowers on mortgages and add to the cost of taking out or renewing a home loan.

British attitudes towards Israel have shifted significantly since the war began in Gaza over three years ago. In autumn 2024, 73 percent of Britons saw Israel as a serious threat to world peace, compared to 48 percent in 2005. Israel's actions have resulted in the deaths of at least 74,643 Palestinians in Gaza, including over 22,000 children, and the wounding of 175,962 Palestinians.

Additionally, more than 10,000 Palestinians are missing, presumed dead under the rubble. Since the ceasefire in October 2025, Israel has killed 1,613 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded over 5,833 people. More than 4,000 Lebanese were also killed in Israel's offensive against Hezbollah earlier this year.

Furthermore, 74 percent of Britons now regard the US as a serious threat to world peace, a rise from 74 percent in February 2026. This change in perception comes amid bitter public disputes with NATO allies over Greenland and Israel's bombing campaign in Iran. The British Social Attitudes survey, which has been conducted since 1983, shows that the country has moved from a post-Cold War society at peace to one that accepts permanent geopolitical competition as the new strategic reality.