US support for Israel plummets, poll finds

Support for Israel among Americans has eroded significantly, with a new poll revealing a dramatic shift in public opinion, especially among Democrats. The survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that a once-bipartisan consensus on supporting the longtime US ally is increasingly polarizing the nation along partisan and generational lines.

This erosion of support is fueled by criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza. Approximately one-third of US adults, including about half of Democrats, believe Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians. This accusation, leveled by some human rights organizations, is vehemently denied by Israel and the US government. Among Jewish adults, 30% hold this view, while 49% say Israel has not committed genocide.

Harold Kalmus, a 69-year-old Democrat from Delaware, expressed his disillusionment. "I realize that there is a threat from Hamas. And I realize they’re in a very difficult situation, but what they have done is just an unspeakable horror," he said of Israel’s military actions. "They’re trying to wipe out a civilization as far as I’m concerned."

The findings reflect a sharp decline in favorable views of Israel, nearly three years after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. While 1,200 people were killed in Israel during that attack, more than 73,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. American sympathies have been shifting toward Palestinians since around 2020, but this trend has accelerated since the latest war began. Many Americans remain unsure, with about 4 in 10 not knowing enough to judge the justification of Israel's military response.

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I realize that there is a threat from Hamas. And I realize they’re in a very difficult situation, but what they have done is just an unspeakable horror. They’re trying to wipe out a civilization as far as I’m concerned.