A National Centre for Social Research survey found that 78% of its UK panel respondents rated Israel a serious threat to world peace in spring 2026, a 10-percentage-point rise since autumn.
The result was 10 percentage points above the autumn 2025 reading of 68%. NatCen’s historical figures show 48% in 2005, 73% in 2024 and 67% in spring 2025, before the autumn dip and latest increase.
The spring result came from NatCen’s Opinion Panel, whose members had previously taken part in British Social Attitudes surveys. NatCen reported an unweighted base of 1,973 for the Israel result. Respondents assessed the danger each country posed to global peace across a roughly decade-long horizon; the 78% represents those choosing either of the survey’s two highest threat ratings. NatCen said it included the question in the panel to keep pace with events.
Russia led the seven-country comparison at 89%. Israel placed second, ahead of Iran at 75% and the United States at 74%. North Korea had a 66% rating, China 62% and Saudi Arabia 34%. The figures show the share of respondents who used one of the two highest threat categories.
NatCen also recorded a 26-percentage-point gap between Green and Reform supporters, with Green supporters more likely to rate Israel a serious threat. Younger respondents were more likely than older participants to view both Israel and the United States as threats. The survey’s U.S. finding was covered in EconoTimes’ earlier report on the 74% result.
Report author Sophia Gaston wrote that “Israel’s reputation, too, has seemingly suffered from its involvement in recent Middle East conflict.” She also suggested some respondents may fear a broader regional confrontation arising from developments involving Israel. The survey measured perceptions and did not identify respondents’ reasons for them.
