62% of British adults are not taking a side in the Israel-Gaza conflict

[lavender2023]

https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/survey-results/daily/2023/10/16/b8bd3/1

Personally as a Jewish person (with family in Israel), I feel heartened by the results as it shows we are a compassionate country who can feel sympathy with both sides or are sensible enough to tick 'don't know' when they feel like they can't understand a complicated foreign conflict. I personally would probably tick 'both sides equally' or 'don't know' because i have such mixed feelings! I was reading some posts yesterday about Jewish people who want to move to Israel because apparently anti-semitism is worse than rockets. There are very valid concerns but we should at least take heart that the majority of people are far more nuanced and not taking sides like one would pick a football team, or are anti Israel . Social media isn't real life

There are regional variations but even in London, 56% of people are not taking sides. The one age group which is pro palestinian is the 18-24 group which is 39%, but at the same time, the combined numbers of 'don't know' and 'both sides' are 40%.

And me. I’d love to hear your views too. Just on a separate thread to prevent a derail.

Sorry for not taking sides is just not fully engaging. Like Brexit. Those that didn't vote just let it happen. And Brexit is a disaster. So is this. It's not about taking a side, it's about standing up for human rights on both sides. This is bad for everyone. Both sides need to stop fighting. Israel cannot keep attacking civilians.

Hamas says that they wouldn't stop fighting and they will keep attacking Israel. I am not entirely sure what Israel should do but I don't think they want to be sitting ducks.

They shouldn't be bombing refugee camps though.

Hamas are evil. However incarcerating 2.3 million people when over half are under 15 years old. Just stores up hatred. Israel has not protected itself. It has stored up hate against itself.
Israel doesn't want peace. Right wing governments don't go for peace. Left wing governments broker peace deals. Like Northern Ireland. And this is so much worse. So much more complex. But stopping water and electricity is not the way forward. Protecting yourself means defence not rocket attacks.

Israel is now the aggressor and 70 years of fighting has led to this.

My husband is Jewish and daughter is half Jewish. I've never really thought about it much till now. This is horrific.

We thought Ireland and ETA couldn't be solved and it was. But on a much smaller scale than this.

While Israel is fully funded the fights will continue.

You'd think calling for a ceasefire would be the very least we can do. Basic humanity. But it seems its a sackable offence not to mention the accusations of it being antisemitism by Israel.

The arguments against this are that Hamas have openly said they will do everything in their power to destroy Israel and kill all Jews, so pro Israel supporters say they can’t stop until all of Hamas are defeated. And Hamas deliberately hide below civilians and hospitals.

Im not saying this still makes it right or ok, but this is why there are arguments against it. I know some Jewish people have been victim of attacks and seen signs and placards with things like ‘Kill the Jews’ everywhere so they’re pretty terrified of Hamas regaining control. Which tbh is what a lot do countries would feel if it was isis, so I do get it. I’m not Jewish do I don’t have that feeling of terror right now.

And this is what a lot of Jewish celebrities are commenting in and genuinely believe if they stop then Hamas will destroy them. Considering there have been holocaust type placards about I can see why they’re terrified.

However I wish these particular celebrities would understand that most people (or at least most people I know) who are against Israel are doing so because of the absolutely thousands of women and children that are being murdered. It’s ok to hate all this and not be antisemitic.

I've heard enough hate speech from Israeli ministers to realise hamas and the Israeli government are 2 sides of the same coin. Lets say israel manages to get rid of hamas overnight. What happens when the remaining gazan children grow up. Children who have seen their mothers, fathers, siblings blown to pieces. Children who have collected the body parts of their baby sister together in their school bag. Children who are told theyre to blame for killing their own. What happens in years to come when these children seek their belated 'right to defend'. It will be said again 'this didn't happen in a vacuum' whilst the world feigns ignorance.

True, If people believe Hamas is only evil, They should not touch civilians at any cost to avoid future conflicts.

"The arguments against this are that Hamas have openly said they will do everything in their power to destroy Israel and kill all Jews, so pro Israel supporters say they can’t stop until all of Hamas are defeated. And Hamas deliberately hide below civilians and hospitals.

Im not saying this still makes it right or ok, but this is why there are arguments against it. I know some Jewish people have been victim of attacks and seen signs and placards with things like ‘Kill the Jews’ everywhere so they’re pretty terrified of Hamas regaining control. Which tbh is what a lot do countries would feel if it was isis, so I do get it. I’m not Jewish do I don’t have that feeling of terror right now"

And you don't think that the Israeli government is trying to completely wipe out the people of Gaza?? They are slaughtering the innocent Palestinians, blowing up their homes after repressing them and stealing their land for decades. They are treated worse than animals and people are still trying to make excuses for this genocide. Hamas do not have the numbers or the weaponry to wipe out Israel, its a ridiculous excuse to continue the Israeli agenda which is to wipe out the Palestinians. 4000 children have been killed, 4000 children that if they were white skinned then there would be outcry but because we are so used to seeing the oppression and murder of the Palestinians then most people do not care!

@lotus786 you do realise 'white-skinned' children are being blown up indiscriminately in the Ukraine at the moment don't you? How quick people forget....
You are making excuses for terrorism. Were you ok with the British just leaving the IRA to get on with it because they were an inferior force? They didn't have the capability of the British army so were not an overall threat. It's not a ridiculous excuse if Hamas' job is to reek terror and attack people in their own homes. Hamas targeted kibuttz dwellers who had been assisting the Gazan's and are generally a peaceful community. But it's ok as they can't wipe out everyone?
What ridiculous simplistic rhetoric....

@lotus786
Hamas do not have the numbers or the weaponry to wipe out Israel, its a ridiculous excuse to continue the Israeli agenda which is to wipe out the Palestinians. 4000 children have been killed, 4000 children that if they were white skinned then there would be outcry but because we are so used to seeing the oppression and murder of the Palestinians then most people do not care!

If it was the Israeli agenda to wipe out the Palestinians, they could easily have done it at least a week ago.

You do know that Israelis tend not to be "white skinned"????????

I'm not Jewish or Israeli and it's not that I "do not care." It's more that I can see Hamas has placed Israel, and its own civilians, in an impossible situation. To keep blaming Israel for this is a bit blinkered.

There are ways to take out terrorists like they did with bin laden in Pakistan. Bombing civilians, hospitals and refugee camps is not stamping out terrorism. The majority of Gaza is children, they are already oppressed and caged and now they are dying in masses. Do you really believe this will stamp out terrorism? This is what has caused terrorism. When people are losing 3/4 loved ones and their homes they are breeding more hatred. We didn't go over and bomb the whole of Ireland because of the IRA did we? That is not a solution. These are innocent people, they deserve to be recognised as that, as does any innocent loss of life such as in Ukraine and Israel but it seems most don't view the Palestinians in the same way. I suggest you follow some of the press in Gaza right now, only half remain as the others have been killed and watch the devastation and destruction of Gaza from the people who are there.

Yes they quite possibly are, as you may have seen from my later post. In all honesty I don’t know enough about Hamas and whether it is possible for them to regain control or not. I’m just saying why some people think it’s necessary (not that I’m saying it’s right).

My point was that not everyone who is pro Israel just hates Palestinians and wants them wiped out and not everyone who is anti iOS real wants all Jewish people wiped out.

They have oppressed the Palestinians for years, thrown them out of their homes, had them under surveillance and kill them if they 'step out of line'. The people of Gaza can not fish, they have had their olive groves stolen, they can not move about freely, this is not restrictions from Hamas but the Israeli government. The Israel government are not innocent.

I actually agree that it’s not black and white and is very difficult. What Hamas did was terrifying and most western governments wouldn’t just let them come back.

I never said they were! I was focusing on their response to the 7th October attack.

@Ididivfama sorry I just mean to say this goes back further than October 7th. I'm not muslim or Jewish. I have been married previously to a Muslim so I understand a lot about the faith. This isn't about religion for me. I do not condone the attacks on the Jewish people , it was disgraceful but we are now up to 8000 civilian deaths, half of which are children and I can not see this ending soon and believe there are ways to stop terrorists that isn't wiping out innocent people😢

I know... But what are they to do?

The son of a Hamas leader supports what Israel is doing, and I kind of think he probably has more insight into what they're up against than you or I 🙂

So civilians were just one step away from impossible situation that could happen now or then any way which Israel is constantly waiting for. So now they don't wipe them off overnight even they wanted . They want to be looked as democrotic country right.

@Alcemeg I could link dozens of Jewish people, ex government, holocaust survivors who are condemning the actions of their government. He is one person. The Israeli's have one of the most elite army's in the world, I'm sure there are better ways of eradicating Hamas than bombing massively overpopulated civilian areas made up of 50% children. Somebody said the other day if there is a school shooter, you don't go in and blow up the school. That is exactly what it happening in Palestine right now.

instagram.com/motaz_azaiza?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==

Please watch this brave journalist in Gaza, risking his life for the world to see what is happening there, hospitals are being bombed, water and electricity is withheld which are war crimes. He has lost 15 family members himself, i can not imagine after watching him how anyone with a heart can condone what is going on there.

Honestly, I give up arguing with what appears to be spam bots.