Large majority of French and British citizens reportedly oppose unilateral recognition of Palestine

A large majority of French and British citizens are reportedly opposed to unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state without preconditions like Hamas surrender and release of the Israeli hostages. Hamas still holds 48 hostages including up to 20 who are still believed to be alive.

The data is based on two separate polls that were conducted by the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) and JL Partners in the UK.

Some 38% of the French public linked the diplomatic recognition to the conditions above while 33% opposed any diplomatic recognition in the short term. All in all, some 71% of the French citizens opposed an unconditional and immediate recognition. 

The polls revealed that opinions were greatly affected by political affiliation and age. Some 55% of the respondents aged 18-24 backed immediate and unconditional recognition. The number dropped to 44% for respondents under the age of 35 and even less for older respondents. 

Almost four out of five (78%) respondents from the far-left La France Insoumise party supported immediate recognition. In contrast 60% of the conservative National Rally opposed immediate recognition. 

Across the English Channel, a JL partners survey reported by the Telegraph revealed that a whopping 87% of the British citizens oppose Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s recognition bid. The poll revealed that 51% of the British public rejected the recognition while Hamas is still in power in Gaza. Additional 40% of the British respondents conditioned the recognition to the release of the Israel hostages. A slight majority – 52%, argued that unilateral recognition rewarded the terrorists in Gaza. Only 13% of the British public reportedly backed an immediate and unconditional diplomatic recognition. 

Diaspora Jewish groups in France, the UK, Australia and Canada warned last week that extremists could be emboldened by a unilateral recognition of Palestine and harden Hamas’ position in the hostage ceasefire negotiations. 

"Our governments are in effect saying that the fulfillment of these requirements post-recognition will be taken on trust and left for some unspecified time in the future. This is a posture that lacks credibility, borders on recklessness, and sets up Palestinian statehood for failure from the outset," the Jewish groups said. 

"It will therefore set back rather than advance prospects for a genuine peace based on the internationally-endorsed principle of two states for two peoples," the Jewish organizations added.

However, on Sunday, the UK, Canada, Australia and Portugal formally recognized a “Palestinian state” despite strong opposition from Israel and the United States. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by vowing that a “Palestinian state” would not be established as a reward for the Hamas Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping of 251 people from southern Israel. 

“I have a clear message for those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre on October 7: you are granting a tremendous reward to terror. And I have another message for you: It will not happen. A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu stated. 

The U.S. State Department responded by mocking the unilateral recognitions of the State of Palestine as a “performative” diplomatic act. 

“Our focus remains on serious diplomacy, not performative gestures,” a U.S. spokesperson stated. 

“Our priorities are clear: the release of the hostages, the security of Israel, and peace and prosperity for the entire region that is only possible free from Hamas,” the spokesperson added.