For the first time ever, fewer than half of Americans say they feel sympathetic toward Israelis — a surprising shift revealed in a new Gallup poll. Only 46% of people in the U.S. side with Israelis, the lowest number Gallup has reported in the 25 years it’s been tracking this issue.
While Israelis still get more support overall compared to Palestinians (46% vs. 33%), sympathy for Palestinians is growing — up 6% from last year.
The poll also shows a clear political divide. Most Republicans — about 75% — continue to back Israelis, while Democrats are now far more likely to support Palestinians, with 59% siding with them compared to just 21% who support Israelis. Independents fall somewhere in the middle.
There’s also growing support for the idea of an independent Palestinian state. A majority of Americans back the idea, though support varies: 76% of Democrats, 53% of Independents, and 41% of Republicans say they’re in favor.
This shift in public opinion comes amid the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 48,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 110,000 others. With bodies still being recovered from the rubble, the humanitarian toll has been devastating.
Changing views on the Israel-Palestine conflict could also have political consequences in the U.S. Earlier polling suggests that disapproval of U.S. policy on Gaza has already influenced voter turnout. In fact, a January survey by YouGov found that many 2020 Biden voters stayed home in 2024 because of dissatisfaction with the administration’s stance — a move that cost Democratic nominee Kamala Harris critical support.
