45% of UK public liken 'Israel's' treatment of Palestinians to Nazis
2 Min Read
Nearly half of Britons now believe "Israel" treats Palestinians like the Nazis treated Jews, with younger generations driving this shift in public opinion amid the war on Gaza.
-
Demonstrators hold placards during a protest in support of the Palestinian People in Gaza, in Parliament Square, in London, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Nearly half of the British public believes "Israel" treats Palestinians like the Nazis treated Jews, a new YouGov poll has revealed, a sign of mounting outrage over the devastation in Gaza and growing solidarity with Palestinians.
The survey, commissioned by the pro-Israeli occupation Campaign Against Antisemitism, found that 45% of respondents agreed with the statement, including 60% of young people and nearly half of Londoners.
The figure represents a record high, up from 33% last year, reflecting how "Israel's" indiscriminate bombardment and blockade of Gaza have reshaped public opinion.
For many, the perception stems from images of mass civilian casualties, displacement, and siege conditions in Gaza since October 7, where food, water, and medical supplies have been deliberately restricted.
Campaigners argue that the scale of killings, starvation, and forced displacement amounts to genocide under international law, a charge confirmed by UN experts and deemed 'plausible' by the International Court of Justice.
The results further reveal a generational shift: young people in particular are unwilling to accept "Israel's" narrative, with almost half saying they feel uncomfortable around supporters of the regime. The poll indicates how far public opinion has moved away from Britain's official policy of backing "Israel" unconditionally.
Across the country, weekly pro-Palestine marches have drawn hundreds of thousands, calling for an end to the war and accountability for Israeli war crimes. For campaigners, the survey confirms what the streets have already shown: that solidarity with Palestinians is becoming a mainstream position in the UK.
Read more: Banksy targets UK crackdown on protest with new High Court mural
That shift comes despite intensified efforts by the government to restrict activism.
Just days before the survey was published, nearly 900 protesters were arrested in London during a rally supporting Palestine Action, a group recently outlawed under counterterrorism laws.
Rights groups and the UN have condemned the ban as a threat to civil liberties, warning that the arrests reflect a broader crackdown on expressions of solidarity with Gaza.
