78% of Britons Consider Israel a Serious Threat to World Peace, New Survey Finds

A new survey has revealed that 78 per cent of people in Britain consider Israel a serious threat to world peace, reflecting a significant shift in public perception of the country’s role in international security.

The findings were published by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) in its latest British Social Attitudes report, titled A More Dangerous World: British Attitudes to Security, Defence and International Alliances.

According to the research, the proportion of Britons who view Israel as a serious threat has increased considerably over the past two decades, rising from 48 per cent in 2005 to 78 per cent in 2026.

The survey, conducted in spring 2026, examined how people in Britain perceive the potential threat posed by seven countries to global peace over the next decade.

The findings placed Israel second among the seven countries assessed, behind Russia, which was considered a serious threat to world peace by 89 per cent of respondents.

Other countries included in the survey were Iran, the United States, North Korea, China and Saudi Arabia. Iran was viewed as a serious threat by 75 per cent of respondents, while 74 per cent expressed the same concern about the United States. North Korea and China recorded 66 per cent and 62 per cent respectively, while Saudi Arabia had the lowest figure at 34 per cent.

The survey highlighted a significant change in British attitudes towards Israel, particularly following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023.

In 2005, only 48 per cent of Britons considered Israel a serious threat to world peace. By autumn 2024, that figure had increased to 73 per cent following the extensive destruction in Gaza during Israel’s military campaign against Hamas.

Although the figure declined slightly in subsequent surveys, it rose again to 78 per cent in spring 2026, following the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran.

NatCen suggested that some respondents may be concerned not only about Israel’s own military actions but also about the possibility that developments involving the country could trigger a wider regional conflict in the Middle East.

The research also revealed differences in how supporters of various political parties in Britain perceive Israel. Among Green Party supporters, 88 per cent considered Israel a serious threat to world peace. Labour supporters followed at 84 per cent, while Liberal Democrat supporters recorded 79 per cent.

The figures were lower among Conservative supporters at 70 per cent and Reform UK supporters at 62 per cent. These differences suggest that perceptions of international security and Israel’s role in global affairs vary across Britain’s political landscape.

Beyond attitudes towards Israel, the wider survey points to growing concerns about international instability and the potential for conflicts to spread across borders.

The findings also showed that 56 per cent of Britons now support increased government spending on defence, indicating growing public concern about national and international security.

Overall, the research highlights changing public attitudes towards countries traditionally viewed as international partners or geopolitical rivals.

While the survey measures public perception rather than providing an independent assessment of the military or political threat posed by each country, its findings offer insight into how Britons increasingly view the changing global security environment.