Arab News Palestine poll informs UK Parliament questions

LONDON: An Arab News poll on British attitudes toward the Arab world has been raised in the UK Parliament.

The findings of the poll, which was conducted by Arab News in conjunction with YouGov, were announced last month at a panel discussion held at the Council for Arab-British Understanding (Caabu) and was widely cited in British media outlets at the time.

Speaking during parliamentary questions on Tuesday, Labour MP Paula Sherriff grilled the government about its position on the recognition of Palestine.

She asked: “Did the minister see the recent YouGov poll, commissioned by the Council for Arab-British Understanding and Arab News, that showed a majority of respondents in favor, with only 14 percent in opposition?”

Conservative MP Alistair Burt replied: “The UK government position is that Palestine will be recognized when it is in the best interests of the peace process to do so, which leaves the matter quite open.”

The Arab News/YouGov study was held ahead of the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which paved the way for the creation of Israel in 1948.

On Nov. 2, British Prime Minister Theresa May will sit down for a celebratory dinner with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commemorate the centenary of the declaration in which Britain pledged its support to the creation of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.