The UK public is not shy to call out genocide. Will the new prime minister join them?
Submitted by Chris Doyle on Tue, 07/07/2026 - 15:51
New opinion poll shows most Britons oppose Israeli actions in Gaza, while their leaders equivocate and fail to take concrete measures
Protesters take part in a march for Gaza in London on 7 October 2025 (Justin Tallis/AFP) Off One of the consistent features of the more than 1,000 days of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is that, no matter how poor and cowardly so much of the political class has been, most of the global public remains both appalled and insistent that their governments take action.
This was highlighted once again in a new YouGov opinion poll commissioned by my organisation, the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu).
The poll, conducted at the beginning of this month, found that a remarkable 50 percent of the British public believe that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Only 17 percent believe it is not, while a third said they didn’t know.
Given the overwhelming level of evidence of genocide, including oft-stated declarations of intent from Israeli ministers and Knesset members, some might be surprised that the figure is only 50 percent, and that roughly one in six Britons still deny it.
But this needs to be put in context. Firstly, genocide is the most serious crime under international law. It has a higher evidentiary bar than war crimes or crimes against humanity.
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Secondly, much of the mainstream media has steadfastly refused to treat the allegation of genocide seriously. Few references are made to the ongoing proceedings at the International Court of Justice, which started way back in December 2023. A UN commission of inquiry in June reaffirmed that Israel has been committing genocide, but the report received little more than cursory coverage.
Thirdly, Israel and its allies have deployed considerable efforts to counter and undermine the allegation of genocide, wrongfully denigrating many of its accusers.
Finally, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and opposition leader Kemi Badenoch have refused to label this a genocide. Andy Burnham, the likely next prime minister, has avoided questions on the topic. Some UK leaders actively endorse Israel’s actions in Gaza. This is why many charge Britain and other states with complicity in the genocide.
Support for sanctions
The British public has reached these conclusions despite the views of political leaders, the tone of mainstream media coverage, and the efforts of the Israeli government.
Caabu’s findings reinforce many earlier polls, showing a consistent level of support for sanctions and other actions against Israel. Close to 50 percent of Britons support a ban on all trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, alongside various other sanctions and trade barriers. Opposition hovers around 20 percent.
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Burnham should take note. Among those who voted Labour in the 2024 election, 67 percent believe Israel is committing a genocide. More conservative voters believe Israeli is committing genocide (33 percent) than say it is not (26 percent).
The trajectory is clear: the figures will likely only head in one direction, away from supporting the Israeli government
And the younger the age category, the greater the number of respondents who deem Israel’s actions to be genocidal. Among those aged 18 to 24 across all parties, the figure rises to 64 percent.
The trajectory is clear: the figures will likely only head in one direction, away from supporting the Israeli government.
The same pattern appears when respondents are questioned about whether it is more important for the UK to distance itself from Israel or to keep it as an ally. A total of 55 percent do not want the UK to be allied with Israel, against 15 percent who do.
How does this compare with other countries and constituencies? A year ago, a poll in Spain found that 82 percent believed Israel was committing genocide. Spain has arguably been the most anti-genocide of European states.
Even in Germany, the EU state most closely allied with Israel, a poll last September showed that 62 percent believed it was committing genocide.
Holding Israel to account
Indeed, Israel is losing support across the board. A poll published by the Washington Post last October found that 39 percent of American Jews considered Israel’s actions in Gaza to be a genocide.
The notion that Israel is committing genocide is increasingly becoming mainstream. But will this affect UK political leaders? If elected prime minister, would Burnham still refer to Israel as an ally?
He would be going against the grain of public opinion if he did, and would risk angering many people - because, not unnaturally, most British citizens do not want the UK to embrace a state committing genocide.
Ignore Starmer's theatrics. Gaza's trail of blood leads straight to his door Read More »
UK-Israel relations are chilly, despite the lack of tough action from the British government. The UK did sanction two Israeli ministers last year, although bizarrely only in a personal capacity.
The more likely outcome is that the groundswell of public opinion will push a new Burnham government to impose a ban on trade with Israeli settlements. Even the Starmer government got close to doing this. It has just admitted to consulting allies about the possibility.
Burnham would be wrong to think this is enough. A settlement trade ban should have been imposed decades ago, given the UK’s position that settlements are a flagrant breach of international law.
If the British public believes that Israel is committing genocide, agreeing with a large contingent of genocide and legal experts, the UK has to do more. This should include ending all forms of military and security cooperation with Israel.
The policy objective must be to end this genocide once and for all, and to hold those responsible to account.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.
Israel's genocide in Gaza Opinion Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:29
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