Declining support for Israel among young Americans

Since the first day of the Gaza war, the occupying entity of Israel has had the full support of the US President Joe Biden’s administration, including financial, military, intelligence and political support.

This protective umbrella continued despite the war turning into genocide, with more than 31,000 Palestinians killed – more than 72 percent of whom are children and women – and is now approaching its six-month mark.

>

But according to polls, supporting Israel was not without cost to America, most importantly, the US public opinion about Israel has been declining for years, especially among young people.

In a series of polls conducted between 2012 and January 2024, a declining trend of support for Israel is observed among Americans of different political affiliations, ages, and ethnicities.

The results indicate polarized support for the occupation regime in the United States, which should be a worrying sign for Israel and its relationship with the United States, according to the Israeli think tank INSS.

A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, published on December 8, 2023, showed that young Americans have a more negative view of the Israeli occupation regime and its role in the war.

The poll results show that a majority of Republicans and Republican-leaning people (73 percent) and Democrats and Democratic-leaning people (62 percent) believe that Hamas is largely responsible for the current war. However, when asked about Israel’s role, there is a significant difference between the two sides.

Among Republicans and Republican-leaning respondents, 21 percent believe Israel is responsible for the war, while 27 percent believe it has no responsibility. In contrast, 50 percent of Democrats and Democratic respondents believe Israel is responsible, and only 6 percent believe it is not.

This statement shows a change in the Democratic Party’s support for Israel in the last decade. While historically the party has been a strong supporter of the institution and has been “the political home of most American Jews,” that support has declined.