Majority of British Jews disapprove of Netanyahu amid 'wave of pessimism', poll finds

“Major British Jewish community organisations have typically honoured Israeli politicians when they have visited the UK, but several have been notably critical, even antagonistic, in recent months,” the report’s authors, Jonathan Boyd and Carli Lessoff said.

By contrast, opposition leader Yair Lapid enjoyed a net positive appraisal with 26 per cent of British Jews voicing approval for him compared with 23 per cent who disapproved.

Commenting on the higher negative rating for Netanyahu than for his two right-wing ministers, the JPR said it was important to note that the Israeli premier was “far better known”.

Disapproval ratings in Britain for Netanyahu and Smotrich “climbed substantially” over the past six months amid the Israeli government’s plans to introduce judicial reforms that have sharply divided opinion in Israeli society.

When only those who expressed a view either way were counted, 79 per cent of UK Jews disapproved of Netanyahu, the figures show.

A “wave of pessimism about Israel’s current situation appears to be sweeping across the UK Jewish community”, the JPR said.

The report also stated that, while seven in ten UK Jews reported an attachment to Israel, this relationship could be shifting. Some 70 per cent of UK Jews identified as Zionists in 2010, but that has fallen to six in ten, with a rise in those who are unsure, suggesting “a growth in uncertainty, discomfort or ambivalence” among some.