Only 15% of Britons think Israeli air-strikes on Gaza are justified, according to polling by YouGov yesterday. In one sense this is surprising given that most of the British press has traditionally been stridently pro-Israeli. But it also says something about shifting attitudes towards Israel as pictures of dead Palestinian children start to dominate the news.
Internationally, Israel is becoming a pariah state, backed stridently only by the United States. Two years ago, a global survey by the BBC found that Israel was among the most negatively-rated countries in the world, sitting alongside Iran, Pakistan and North Korea. Attitudes towards Israel were on a downward trajectory, with around 68% of Britons viewing the country negatively and only 16% positively. Germans and Spanish rated it even more negatively, while Australians and South Koreans werent far behind.
These negative sentiments arent (primarily) driven by anti-semitism or Muslims, they are driven by Israels own actions in the Middle East. People can see what its doing and they dont like it.
In all the commentary that has predictably erupted since the bombardment of Gaza, little has been said about how badly Israel is handling all this. Again.
Until recently Hamas was struggling financially and politically. It had lost support from traditional allies such as Syria, Egypt and Iran. But by goading Israel into an invasion again, it has ensured its own survival.
Israel has fallen into a Hamas trap | LabourList
Internationally, Israel is becoming a pariah state, backed stridently only by the United States. Two years ago, a global survey by the BBC found that Israel was among the most negatively-rated countries in the world, sitting alongside Iran, Pakistan and North Korea. Attitudes towards Israel were on a downward trajectory, with around 68% of Britons viewing the country negatively and only 16% positively. Germans and Spanish rated it even more negatively, while Australians and South Koreans werent far behind.
These negative sentiments arent (primarily) driven by anti-semitism or Muslims, they are driven by Israels own actions in the Middle East. People can see what its doing and they dont like it.
In all the commentary that has predictably erupted since the bombardment of Gaza, little has been said about how badly Israel is handling all this. Again.
Until recently Hamas was struggling financially and politically. It had lost support from traditional allies such as Syria, Egypt and Iran. But by goading Israel into an invasion again, it has ensured its own survival.
Israel has fallen into a Hamas trap | LabourList
