British Opposition to Immigration from Israel Rises Sharply, Matching Views on Pakistan and Russia

A recent large-scale immigration survey by YouGov reveals that British public opinion towards immigrants from Israel has turned notably negative, aligning closely with attitudes towards migrants from Pakistan and Russia. According to the survey, 47% of Britons now believe that immigration from Israel should be completely stopped or significantly reduced, marking an 8% increase compared to a similar poll conducted ten years ago. This shift is attributed to the impact of the Gaza war and the deteriorating global perception of Israel.

Among 23 countries surveyed, Israel ranks poorly, with only Russia (58%), Pakistan (52%), and Nigeria (48%) receiving worse public sentiment. Immigrants from Egypt are viewed more favorably than those from Israel. Only 5% of respondents support increasing immigration from Israel, 24% favor maintaining current levels, and another 24% are undecided. Overall, just 29% of Britons support continuing to accept Israeli immigrants at least at the current rate.

Opposition to Israeli immigration spans across political lines. Supporters of the far-right Reform UK party show the highest opposition at 53%, closely followed by Green Party supporters at 52% and Labour Party supporters at 48%, despite the latter two groups generally being more welcoming to immigrants from other countries. In contrast, the countries most favored by Britons for immigration are Ireland (69%), Canada, and Australia (68%).