Americans' sympathy for Israelis falls to its lowest in 24 years, new poll says
American sympathy towards the Palestinians has reached an all-time high, according to a recent Gallup poll.
The percentage of Americans who say they sympathise with the Palestinians is up six percentage points from last year to 33 percent - the highest-ever rating by two points.
At the same time, sympathy towards Israelis has reached its lowest point in the US in 24 years.
Only 46 percent of Americans polled said their sympathies are with the Israelis rather than the Palestinians during Israel’s current assault on Gaza. The second lowest approval rating was 51 percent in 2001, a year after the Second Intifada.
Americans have historically experienced more positive feelings toward Israel - regarded as the country’s ally - rather than toward the Palestinians since Gallup first started tracking the data in 1989 on its World Affairs Survey.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Since then, an average of 65 percent of Americans have had favourable opinions of Israel. The lowest rating of Israel during this time was 45 percent in 1989, during the First Intifada.
The poll also found that 40 percent of US adults approve of Trump’s handling of the situation between the Israelis and Palestinians - which could be because he helped broker a ceasefire deal. The result trails the overall approval rating of his presidency, 45 percent.
Democrats vs Republicans
Results vary strongly according to whether the person holding the view is a Democrat or a Republican.
Republicans are much more likely than Democrats to view Israel favourably (83 percent vs 33 percent, respectively), while Democrats view the Palestinian territories more favourably than Republicans do (45 percent vs 18 percent).
Republicans and Independents have consistently backed the Israelis since 2001, though Independents’ support for the Israelis is now at its lowest in World Affairs surveys by one point.
Democrats also sided with the Israelis until 2022, when roughly equal shares said they sympathised with each side. Since then, Democrats have supported the Palestinians.
Initially, Democrats’ declining sympathy for the Israelis was seemingly the result of disapproval of the nation’s right-leaning political leadership under Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, it has fallen further in the past two years.
In February 2023, Democrats’ sympathies for the Israelis dipped to 38 percent, while the reading for Palestinians jumped 11 points to 49 percent, marking the first time Palestinian sympathies prevailed among this group.
Eight months later, on 7 October, 2023, the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel killed over 1,100 people and took nearly 250 as captives.
Democrats’ sympathy for the Palestinian people had dipped six points by the following February. However, a year later, as a humanitarian crisis continues in Gaza, Democrats’ sympathy for the Palestinians is up 16 points, marking the first time it has reached the majority level.
A Palestinian state
For years, a two-state solution has been a central idea in peace talks and would entail the creation of a Palestinian state. Gallup has measured Americans’ views on this since 1999.
Since then, more Americans have supported the establishment of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip than have opposed it, and that continues today. Currently, 55 percent are in favour and 31 percent are opposed, while 14 percent do not have an opinion.
The latest 55 percent of US adults who favour establishing a Palestinian state is in line with readings since 2020, which have ranged from 52 percent to 55 percent.
Before that, Americans were still more in favour of an independent Palestinian state than opposed, but support was mostly below the majority level. Support and opposition were most similar in 2015 and 2017.
Overall, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state is still supported by a majority of Americans, though by far more Democrats than Republicans.
Discussion of a two-state approach for achieving peace in the region is largely on hold following the 7 October 2023 attacks, as world leaders wrestle with how Israel’s safety will be secured after the war, what role Hamas will play in Gaza and how the occupied West Bank will be governed.
The latest reading was conducted in February, during the temporary ceasefire and captive exchange between Israel and Hamas. The poll began one day before Netanyahu’s White House visit, which included a joint press conference with Trump.
During that press event on 4 February, Trump expressed his intent for the US to "take over" and redevelop the Gaza Strip.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
