A recent poll conducted in five countries—Brazil, Colombia, Greece, South Africa, and Spain—indicates a significant portion of the population across these nations believes that arms manufacturers should reconsider their trading relationships with Israel, especially in light of the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The findings, released by USA Zine on Thursday, highlight a growing global sentiment advocating for greater accountability regarding military transactions involving Israel.
Spain emerged as the country most in favor of halting arms sales, with 58 percent of the surveyed citizens advocating for a complete cessation of trade. Following closely were Greece with 57 percent and Colombia at 52 percent. The sentiment was also notable in Brazil, where 37 percent supported a halt in arms sales and 22 percent called for a reduction. In South Africa, 46 percent opposed arms trading with Israel entirely, while 20 percent favored reduced sales.
The survey was commissioned by the Global Energy Embargo for Palestine network and backed by the Progressive International organization, with data collected via the Pollfish platform in the previous month. The initiative follows a poignant appeal from Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, who urged nations to minimize economic ties with Israel, decrying the situation in Gaza as an “economy of genocide.”
Ana Sanchez, a campaigner for the Global Energy Embargo for Palestine, remarked that the results reflect a collective refusal among citizens to finance oppression. She emphasized that no government professing to uphold democratic values can justify continuing economic or military connections with Israel amid allegations of human rights violations.
The poll’s focus on countries with established roles in energy transport to Israel underscores a growing awareness of geopolitical dynamics. Over 1,000 respondents from each nation participated in the survey, which aimed to assess public attitudes towards accountability in international relations.
The responses reveal a significant degree of opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with Greece and Spain registering the highest discontent at 61 and 60 percent, respectively, while Colombia showed a 50 percent opposition. Conversely, Brazil and South Africa reported lower levels of disapproval, with 30 and 20 percent standing against the military campaign.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached alarming proportions, prompting criticism of arms dealers and the corporations involved in such transactions. Recent months have seen various wealth funds and corporations reassessing their ties to Israeli entities amid ethical concerns.
Norway’s decision to reevaluate its sovereign wealth fund’s investments in Israel—a move sparked by new revelations about links to firms supplying military parts—further illustrates this trend. Additionally, the findings indicate that a substantial portion of respondents in Spain (41 percent) would strongly endorse government actions aimed at reducing trade with Israel as a means of promoting peace.
The results from this survey not only reflect the evolving international stance on military trade but also highlight the call for increased civic engagement to address pressing humanitarian issues worldwide.
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