Israel does have the right to defend itself, most Britons believe

Most people in Britain believe that Israel has the right to defend itself and many are concerned for the safety of UK Jews, according to a new survey.

The poll of over 2,000 people, which was commissioned by the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) and carried out by Deltapoll, found that just 10% of Britons thought Israel did not have the right to self-defence.

A majority of respondents — 55% — believed it had the right to defensive action.

The Deltapoll survey also found that most Britons were “angry and embarrassed” by recent acts of antisemitism seen in the UK in the wake of the violence between Israel and Gaza.

When asked if British Jews should be asked to justify the actions of the Israeli government, nearly two-thirds of respondents to the survey said “no”.

The figures also revealed younger people were more likely to be hostile to Israel and have seen anti-Jewish racism online because of the influences of social media.

But Claudia Mendoza, a co-chief executive of the JLC, said the survey results showed an increasing number of people in Britain saw racism as “a throwback to the past”.

She said: “Many of us will have asked ourselves the question that has returned again and again over the past few years: are we safe here?

“Is this still a country where we can make a Jewish life, and one where Jews are not just tolerated but also feel welcome?

“The good news from the survey is that most non-Jewish Britons are paying attention and share our concerns.”