UK poll finds wide support for recognizing Palestinian state

British polling firm YouGov says nearly half of Britons support recognizing a Palestinian state, based on polling samples collected last week.

According to the survey of 2,013 respondents in Great Britain, 45 percent think the UK should recognize Palestine as a state, as opposed to 14% who oppose the move. Another 41% do not know.

The poll finds that 61% of respondents aged 18-24 support recognition, though the figure drops to 43% for those aged 25-49. Only 4% of those 18-24 oppose recognition.

The results are largely in line with a poll from exactly a year ago, which showed 47% of British respondents supporting the move, part of an overall trend across Europe of increasing backing for recognition. That poll also showed opposition to recognition at 12%.