Two fifths of Germans favour recognising Palestinian statehood: survey

More Germans are in favour than in opposition of recognising Palestine as an independent state, a new survey has revealed.

Some 40 percent of respondents said Germany should recognise Palestine as an independent state, while 27 percent said they were against such a move. About 33 percent indicated that they were not sure.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centre-left-liberal coalition government has repeatedly turned down calls for the recognition of the Palestinian state, arguing that current conditions were not suitable to take such a step.

Last month, Spain, Norway and Ireland recognised a Palestinian state and urged other European states to follow their lead. This week Slovenia also recognised Palestinian statehood.

The representative survey by YouGov revealed that the majority of Germans disapprove of Israel's military offensive in Gaza as it claimed too many civilian lives.

As many as 51 percent of Germans said they would support EU economic sanctions on Israel due to its military offensive in Rafah, where 1.4 million Palestinian civilians were sheltering. Only 26 percent of Germans opposed such a move against the Israeli government.

The poll was conducted by YouGov between May 31 and June 5 among a nationally representative sample of 2,295 people.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, whose latest ruling ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its operation in the southern city of Rafah which began on May 6.