YouGov on the Gaza blockade

YouGov have a poll in this morning's Sun on Israel's boarding of the Gaza convoy. Asked about the principle of the Israeli blockade of Gaza 22% thought it was the right thing to do, 53% were opposed.

Turning to the specific incident, 55% of respondents thought that Israeli troops over-reacted to people on the ship who were on the whole non-violent, with only 18% saying they were probably acting in self-defence. Only 23% of respondents thought the intention of the convoy was a confrontation with Israel, with 44% believing its genuine intention was to take humanitarian supplies to Gaza.

YouGov also asked a general question about whether people were more sympathetic towards Israel or the Palestinians. 13% were more sympathetic to Israel, 25% more sympathetic to the Palestinians, 41% were not particularly sympathetic to either.

Bear in mind the timing of that final question - no doubt the fact that Israeli soldiers had just shot lots of people on a convoy affected people's answer to this question, and it if had been asked at a time when there was not a particular controversy about Israel in the news there would probably have been a different answer. However, the point of the question was to repeat of a question YouGov asked back in July 2006 at the time of the Lebanon conflict, a time was Israel was also facing widespread international criticism, and since them public sympathy for Israel has declined significantly (in 2006 20% were sympathetic to Israel, 18% with the Palestinians).

Looking at the crossbreaks, Conservative supporters do indeed tend to be more sympathetic towards Israel, but not by a vast amount. Even Tory voters say by a large margin that they think Israel over-reacted and that the blockade is wrong. There is also a noticable gender difference, with men more sympathetic to Israel and women more likely to be non-committal.