Canberra, March 12 (IANS): More Australians believe the nation should aim to become an independent middle power than primarily an ally of the US, a poll has found.

Published by the online Australian edition of British newspaper 'The Guardian' on Tuesday, the poll found that 38 per cent of Australians said the country's role in global affairs should be as an independent middle power, Xinhua news agency reported.

Twenty-five per cent said the nation should do its best not to engage in world affairs and 17 per cent were unsure.

The poll found that 63 per cent of Australians described themselves as concerned about Israel's military action in Gaza.

Thirty-seven per cent of Australians said Israel should withdraw permanently from military action in Gaza, twice as many than 18 per cent who supported it continuing.

Two thirds of participants in the poll said they believed the world is either very or somewhat divided and 10 per cent described it as united.

Sixty-eight per cent agreed that global instability makes trade more expensive and 57 per cent said it would undermine efforts to solve problems including climate change.