Polls Show Overwhelming Opposition In UK And France To Unconditional Palestinian State Recognition

Fresh surveys in Britain and France reveal broad resistance to immediate, unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state; a stance now being advanced by leaders in both countries.

In the UK, a JL Partners poll published by The Telegraph found that only 13% of Britons back Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state without preconditions. Support was even lower among Labour voters, at just 11%, and dropped to 8% among voters who have moved or may move from Labour to Reform.

Nearly nine in ten respondents opposed Starmer’s expected announcement, which is expected to be delivered on Sunday. A slim majority, 51%, said Britain should not grant recognition while Hamas controls Gaza and holds Israeli hostages. Another 52% viewed recognition as a reward for terrorism, while 40% said it must be contingent on a Hamas ceasefire and the release of captives. Seventeen percent opposed Palestinian statehood recognition under any circumstances.

James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, said the results highlight a “disconnect” between Starmer and public opinion. The prime minister has previously indicated that recognition was “almost inevitable,” citing Israel’s rejection of his conditions: a ceasefire, a commitment to a two-state solution, and a halt to annexation in Judea and Samaria. Over a third of his cabinet and more than 130 Labour MPs are reportedly pushing for the move.

In France, a separate poll commissioned by the country’s main Jewish umbrella group showed that 71% of French citizens reject recognizing a Palestinian state before Hamas surrenders and hostages are released. Only 29% support immediate recognition, despite President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to make a formal announcement at the UN General Assembly.

The divide in France over recognition of a Palestinian state appears to accompany attitudes towards violence against Jews. The same survey found that 68% of the French public see antisemitic acts as a threat not only to Jews but to society at large, while 19%, including about 31% of respondents aged 18 to 24, deemed attacks on Jews over the Gaza conflict “legitimate.”

Macron announced in July that France would formally recognize a Palestinian state during the UN gathering in September, saying, “France remains faithful to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine… The urgent need today is to end the war in Gaza and to save the civilian population.”

The polls underscore significant public skepticism in both countries as their leaders weigh unilateral moves toward Palestinian statehood recognition.