An online survey conducted last week by polling firm DemosAU, which used different wording, found that 45 per cent of respondents supported Australia recognising a Palestinian state before a negotiated peace agreement and 23 per cent opposed.

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The Resolve poll, based on answers from 1800 respondents, found only 25 per cent of Australians believed that Australia’s decision to recognise Palestine would probably or definitely affect the situation in the Middle East.

Thirty-six per cent said Australia recognising Palestine would most likely or definitely have no impact on the ground, while 40 per cent were unsure.

“Australians don’t necessarily disagree with recognising Palestine, but there is a desire to at least get them into a more stable position first,” Resolve pollster Jim Reed said. “That is, statehood should be about them, not predicated on the actions of their neighbour.

“The feedback is that this move is largely symbolic, which is not to devalue the power of symbols. But in this case, people don’t think Australia’s actions will make much, if any, difference on the ground in Gaza.”

The poll was conducted from August 11 to 16 following the government’s announcement that it would recognise Palestine. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 per cent.

Just 14 per cent of respondents said they supported standalone trade or financial sanctions against Israel, a key demand of pro-Palestinian advocates. Fifty per cent of respondents said they did not support sanctions against any participant in the conflict.

The poll found that 29 per cent of Australians feel more sympathy for Gaza than when the conflict began, up from 20 per cent when this question was last asked in October 2024.

Sixteen per cent said they felt more sympathy towards Israel than when the conflict began, but 55 per cent of respondents said their position had not changed since October 2023.

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Australians appear to be less worried than in the past about the conflict’s impact on national security in Australia, and 41 per cent said they believed the Middle East conflict had made Australia less safe.

This was down from 51 per cent when this question was last asked in January, a time when antisemitic attacks were featuring more prominently in the news.

Seventy per cent of respondents said they supported providing medical and food aid to the Middle East, while respondents were almost evenly split on whether to accept refugees from the occupied Palestinian territories and/or Israel.

Fifty-two per cent said they were open to accepting refugees from the region, while 48 per cent were opposed.

Following the high-profile march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge by protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on August 3, 51 per cent of respondents said they did not believe marches by local supporters of either Israel or Palestine should be allowed.

Sixty-four per cent also said they did not believe local councils should display either the Israeli or Palestinian flags.

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