Survey Reveals Record Lows in Israel’s Favorability Across Western Europe
A recent poll conducted by a leading research firm indicates that public approval for Israel has reached historic lows in Western European nations. The survey, which gathered responses from people in Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, shows that impressions of Israel have declined significantly since the study began in 2016.
Declining Ratings Across Nations
The findings reveal that countries such as Britain, Germany, France, and Denmark have reached some of the lowest scores ever recorded for Israel, with figures such as -46 in Britain, -44 in Germany, -48 in France, and a striking -54 in Denmark. Similarly, Italy and Spain have seen values of -52 and -55 respectively, either equalling or falling below their previous lowest levels noted as far back as 2021.
Across all six nations, only between 13% and 21% of respondents expressed a positive view of Israel, whereas between 63% and 70% reported having an unfavorable opinion.
Criticism of Military Strategy
The survey also highlights a strong disapproval of the military actions taken by Israel in Gaza. A very small minority, ranging from 6% to 16% of those polled, believed that the country’s deployment of ground troops and its overall reaction to incidents involving Hamas were justified. This support has seen a minor decline compared to similar research conducted in the previous year.
When it comes to endorsing Israel’s military measures, approval ratings range between 9% and 25%, with the lowest levels observed in Italy. In contrast, sharp criticism was also directed at the initial attacks by Hamas late last year, which only received minimal backing from the public, registering support between 5% and 9% across the board.
Shifting Sympathy and Future Outlook
The balance of sympathy appears to be tilting towards Palestinians. A noticeably larger proportion of individuals, between 18% and 33%, expressed empathy towards the Palestinian side compared to just 7% to 18% who leaned in favor of Israel. Notably, Germany presents the only case where the split in public sentiment is nearly even.
Expectations for a peaceful resolution in the Middle East remain low. While 29% of those surveyed in France are hopeful about achieving peace within the next decade, this sentiment is much less common in Denmark, where only 15% share the same optimism.
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