LONDON: Almost half of people in the UK would end a friendship over the Israel-Palestine conflict, new research has suggested.
The More in Common think tank surveyed 2,000 people in the UK in October, and found that 43 percent of pro-Palestine interviewees would consider ending a friendship over a pro-Israel social media post. Around 46 percent of Israel supporters said the same about Palestine-supporting friends.
Around 75 percent of people said they were uncomfortable discussing the issue online, with around 30 percent feeling somewhat or very uncomfortable talking about it with their friends.
In addition, 67 percent of those surveyed said they felt some public protests in support of either side should be banned due to their disruptive nature.
More in Common said: “Public patience for protest is wearing thin — two-thirds of Britons now believe some protests are too disruptive to be allowed, with sustained demonstrations over Gaza contributing to broader backlash against activist movements.”
