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A new nationwide survey in the United Kingdom has uncovered a dramatic rise in antisemitic attitudes among the British public.
According to the YouGov poll conducted with Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA), almost half of respondents (45%) agreed with the claim that Israel treated Palestinians the way Nazis did the Jews — up sharply from 33% last year. Among young adults aged 18 to 24, that number surged to 60%.
“This is one of the most common antisemitic tropes that we see,” CAA said. “It both trivializes the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were industrially slaughtered, and insultingly accuses victims of the crime committed against them of perpetrating it.”
Young People Show Disturbing Trends
The poll revealed especially troubling views among young Britons. Nearly one in five (19%) said Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre of Israelis was justified, despite the terror group murdering some 1,200 people and abducting 251. About 10% of young respondents said they held a favorable view of Hamas, while 14% opposed its designation as a terrorist organization.
Only 31% of 18- to 24-year-olds agreed that Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish homeland. Almost half (49%) admitted feeling uncomfortable around people who openly support Israel.
Growing Public Concern Over Antisemitism
Overall, 51% of British adults — and 60% of young people — said antisemitism has worsened in the UK since October 2023. Yet more than half of respondents (54%) admitted they did not know what “Zionism” means.
CAA described the results as a national warning sign. “Our country is clearly at a tipping point,” a CAA spokesperson said. “These are the highest antisemitism figures that we have ever recorded, having doubled in less than five years. Our young people are being radicalized into adopting hateful ideologies before our eyes. Britain will lose its soul to extremists unless the silent majority wakes up.”
Antisemitism at Record Levels
The findings come as antisemitic incidents in Britain remain near historic highs. The Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2025 in the UK, the second-highest ever for a six-month period. Only the same period in 2024 saw more.
June 2025 marked the highest monthly total, coinciding with Israel’s 12-day preemptive military campaign against Iran’s nuclear program. The single worst day came on June 29, when punk-rap duo Bob Vylan led chants of “Death, Death to the IDF”at the Glastobury Festival.
Divided Opinions on Pro-Palestine Protests
The survey also highlighted public division over frequent anti-Israel marches. While 32% of Britons viewed them negatively and 29% positively, most believed the protests achieved little. Nearly 70% said the demonstrations accomplished “not very much” or “nothing at all.” A majority (58%) said organizers should pay for policing and clean-up costs rather than taxpayers.
