US public support for Israel hits lowest in 25 years: Poll

A Gallup poll conducted between Feb. 3 and Feb. 16, revealed that U.S. public support for Israel has reached its lowest point in 25 years.

The survey, which included 1,004 participants, found that 46% of Americans support Israel, marking a significant decline.

This shift in U.S. public opinion comes amid growing concerns over U.S. policies in Gaza, including a controversial plan by President Donald Trump to “take over” Gaza and forcibly displace Palestinians.

The poll highlights changing American attitudes toward Israel and the Palestinians, which could influence future U.S. foreign policy decisions.

Big picture

Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and Trump’s controversial plan to “take over” Gaza and forcibly relocate Palestinians, American attitudes toward Middle East policies are shifting significantly.

Support for Israel has fallen to 46%, marking a 25-year low. Sympathy for Palestinians has risen by 6 percentage points since last year, reaching 33%—the highest ever recorded.

The poll also found that 40% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Partisan divide on Israel-Palestine

The Gallup survey highlights a sharp partisan divide in attitudes toward Israel and Palestine.

• 83% of Republicans support Israel, while only 18% sympathize with Palestinians.
• 45% of Democrats sympathize with Palestinians, compared to 33% who support Israel.
• Independents’ views align closely with national averages.
• Democratic voters, who previously leaned more toward Israel, have significantly shifted toward supporting Palestinians since 2022. Today, Democrats favor Palestinians over Israelis by nearly a three-to-one margin.
• Republicans, meanwhile, have remained consistently pro-Israel. However, support for Israel among independents has also declined.

Why the shift?

Democrats’ declining support for Israel initially stemmed from opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing policies but has accelerated over the past two years.

In February 2023, Democratic support for Israel dropped to 38%, while support for Palestinians surged to 49%, marking the first time Democratic sympathy leaned toward Palestinians.

After Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians briefly dipped by six points.

However, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza persists, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians has rebounded—reaching a majority level for the first time.

US public opinion on a Palestinian state

The Gallup poll also gauged support for a two-state solution, a long-standing principle of Middle East peace negotiations.

• 55% of Americans support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
• 31% oppose the idea, while 14% have no opinion.

By political affiliation:

• 76% of Democrats support an independent Palestinian state.
• 53% of independents support it.
• 41% of Republicans support it, while 49% oppose it.

What it all means

The poll indicates a major shift in U.S. public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with growing sympathy for Palestinians, especially among Democrats.

Key factors driving this change include criticism of Netanyahu’s government, greater awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and a generational shift among younger Americans and Democratic voters, who increasingly empathize with Palestinians.

While the Biden administration officially supports a two-state solution, ongoing violence and political deadlock make concrete steps toward peace unlikely in the near term.

American support for Israel is declining, while sympathy for Palestinians is at an all-time high—especially among Democrats.