Finally, YouGov repeated a question we asked when Israel attacked southern Lebanon in 2006 – in general do people sympathies more with the Israelis or the Palestinians? Now, as then, almost two-thirds of the public decline to take sides. But among the minority that DO take sides there has been a marked shift. Four years ago, they were evenly divided, with 20% siding with Israel and 18% with the Palestinians. Now, they divide two-to-one in favour of the Palestinians (25%) rather than Israel (13%).
Among those who take sides, Conservative supporters divide evenly, while Labour supporters divide three-to-one, and Liberal Democrats four-to-one, in favour of the Palestinians.
So some good news but I am enthralled with the two thirds who ‘decline to take sides‘ because apartheid, ethnic cleansing and a siege garnished with murder on the high seas is like something to be totally neutral about m’kay? This is that false balance on Palestine, that because a rocket gets fired into Israel vast hordes of morons think that gives them the green light to say- well both sides are to blame equally- and slumber in neutral idiocy, ooh look Britain’s Got Talent is on. I realise I should be nicer to them, that they are persuadable if their laziness could just be overcome with some facts, but right now I really don’t have the patience for people with so little curiosity about the world they will enable atrocities through their wilful ignorance. Fucking Chumps.
