People walk at a square where Israeli flags are displayed, amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 16, 2024. Photo: Reuters/Ricardo Moraes
After 22 months of war in Gaza, Americans continue to sympathize more with Israelis than the Palestinians, according to a new poll.
However, the latest Economist/YouGov poll, which surveyed 1,702 US adult citizens from Aug. 1-4, also found there has been a noticeable shift in public opinion toward the Palestinians, particularly among younger and left-leaning voters.
According to the survey, 29 percent of respondents said their sympathies lie more with Israel, compared to 26 percent who sympathize more with the Palestinians. A substantial 44 percent say they are either unsure or sympathetic to both sides equally.
This represents a notable gain for the Palestinian side. In June, for example, 31 percent of Americans said they sympathized more with the Israelis, while just 21 percent said the same for the Palestinians.
The uptick comes as global attention remains focused on Gaza, where humanitarian agencies have described worsening conditions amid the ongoing conflict.
The new survey highlights a stark political divide: 57 percent of voters who supported US President Donald Trump, a Republican, in the 2024 election said they sympathize with Israel, while just 10 percent said the same for Palestinians.
As for those who voted for 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, just 11 percent responded that they sympathize more with Israel, compared to 45 percent who said the same of the Palestinians.
Ideologically, conservatives’ sympathies side overwhelmingly with Israel (58 percent) over the Palestinians (7 percent), while liberals now favor Palestinians by a margin of 55 percent to 9 percent,
As for political affiliation, Republicans overwhelmingly sympathize more with Israels than Palestinians (56 percent compared to 5 percent), and Democrats’ sympathies fall in the exact opposite direction in favor of the Palestinians (43 percent compared to 9 percent), seemingly upending the traditional bipartisan consensus that long favored Israel.
For all these comparisons, the remaining respondents selected either equal sympathy for both sides or they weren’t sure.
Americans are also divided over whether Israel’s military campaign in Gaza is still justified, according to the poll. While 32 percent of total respondents believe Israel is justified in its conduct, 41 percent say it is not. The remaining 27 percent are unsure.
Support for increased US military aid to Israel remains limited, with just 13 percent in favor and 42 percent advocating less aid. Another 26 percent support maintaining the same level of aid.
Meanwhile, 38 percent of Americans said they want increased humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, whole 18 percent want less and 24 percent support maintaining the same amount.
On the question of a Gaza ceasefire, 61 percent of respondents “strongly support” a truce to the Israel-Hamas war, with another 17 percent “somewhat” supporting it. This included the vast majority of both Republicans and Democrats.
The poll also asked whether respondents approve of Trump’s support for Israel. Thirty-two percent approve of his stance, while 7 percent want to see more support for the Jewish state and 36 percent hpe to less.
A near-majority of Americans, 49 percent, said the Palestinians should have their own state, compared to 17 percent who said they oppose the proposition and 34 percent who “don’t know.” A strong majority of Democrats indicated support for a Palestinian state, while Republicans expressed wariness about the prospect.
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