The latest Gallup survey shows that the majority of Americans are opposed to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with over 50% of voters now holding this view. This is the most significant level of dissatisfaction among Americans since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict five months ago.
This is a 10% rise from when Gallup first asked about the issue in autumn.
The poll, which comes as Israel is getting ready to invade Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, on foot, reflects a change in popular sentiment toward the fight. Over 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced from their homes in Rafah due to the ongoing conflict, and the international community, including the United States, has urged Israel to scrap its offensive plans in the city.
The most recent survey reveals that American Jews, Republicans, and Democrats are all less enthusiastic about Israel than they were in November, with Democrats’ support plummeting from 36% to 18%. Republicans maintained their position as the pro-Israel group, with a current approval rating of 64%, while independent support fell from 47% to 29%. The Republican Party, meanwhile, saw a decline of seven points, falling from 71%.
And although 34% of Americans are following the issue “extremely closely,” 74% say they are keeping up with the news on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Gallup determined that the disapproval of Israel’s military campaign is roughly constant, regardless of how much conflict news respondents consume.
These results are consistent with other recent polls: Half of Americans think the United States should prioritize humanitarian help to the Palestinians in Gaza above military aid to Israel, according to a recent Pew Research Center poll. Half of Israelis think the military reaction to October 7 has “gone too far,” according to a February AP/NORC survey.
Americans’ views of the Palestinian Authority and Israel have declined from prior years, and they are less supportive of Israel overall. A different poll by Gallup found that although 18% of Americans support the Palestinian governing body, 58% support the Jewish state.
