As the war in Gaza drags on, a new survey spanning three continents shows most people in five countries want arms sales to Israel stopped or reduced.
The poll, conducted in Brazil, Colombia, Greece, South Africa and Spain, found strong public support for halting weapons trade as the humanitarian crisis deepens. Spain recorded the highest backing for a complete stop, at 58 percent, followed closely by Greece at 57 percent and Colombia at 52 percent.
In Brazil, 37 percent supported a total halt, with a further 22 percent favouring reductions. In South Africa, 46 percent wanted sales to end, and 20 percent wanted them cut back.
The survey, commissioned by the Global Energy Embargo for Palestine network and supported by the Progressive International group, was carried out last month using the Pollfish platform. More than 1,000 people in each country were asked about both government and private-sector dealings with Israel.
Ana Sanchez, a campaigner for the network, said the findings sent a clear message. “The people have spoken, and they refuse to be complicit. Across continents, ordinary citizens demand an end to the fuel that powers settler colonialism, apartheid and genocide,” she said.
The group chose the five countries for their roles in importing and transporting energy to Israel. The call to cut ties echoes recent comments by Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territory, who urged nations to sever financial links with Israel.
Opposition to Israel’s military actions was strongest in Greece (61 percent) and Spain (60 percent), followed by Colombia at 50 percent. In Brazil and South Africa, opposition stood at 30 percent, while a third of Brazilians and one-fifth of South Africans expressed support for the campaign.
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza has so far killed more than 60,000 people, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health authorities. Large swathes of the enclave lie in ruins, and Gaza now has the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita.
Some companies have already moved to distance themselves from Israel’s military. In June, Danish shipping giant Maersk pulled out of firms linked to Israeli settlements, deemed illegal under international law. On Tuesday, Norway said it would review its sovereign wealth fund’s investments in Israeli companies after revelations it held shares in a firm supplying fighter jet parts to Israel’s air force.
David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International, said the poll reflected a groundswell of public opinion. “The message from the peoples of the world is loud and clear: They want action to end the assault on Gaza – not just words,” he said.
In Spain, 41 percent said they would strongly support their government reducing trade in weapons, fuel and other goods to pressure Israel into ending the war. The figure was 33 percent in Colombia and South Africa, 28 percent in Greece and 24 percent in Brazil.
While public sentiment in these nations is clear, whether their governments will act on it remains uncertain. For now, the calls for ending the flow of arms to Israel are growing louder — and harder to ignore.
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