LONDON: Just 16 percent of people in the UK oppose a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements, polling has revealed.
Half of respondents to a YouGov survey support a ban, as the UK government prepares steps toward an embargo on imports and exports with settlements in the West Bank.
The polling of 6,142 people also found attitudes toward trade with settlements reasonably consistent across political ideologies, with a majority of Reform UK and Conservative voters aligning with Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green supporters in backing a ban.
Israeli settlements have long been condemned by politicians and campaigners in the UK over their illegality under international law and the threat they pose both to individual Palestinians and the broader prospect of a two-state solution.
Since October 2023, there has been a significant increase in settler activity and an expansion of building in areas they control, backed by the Israeli government.
