Americans now sympathize more with Palestinians than Israelis, poll finds
A slight majority of American voters also opposed the United States providing additional economic and military support to Israel, according to the new NYT/Siena poll
A man holds an Israeli flag as Pro-Palestinian protesters march through Manhattan near the United Nations as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 26. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
(JTA) — For the first time, more American voters say they sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis, according to a new poll from The New York Times and Siena University.
The poll adds yet another data point to a growing pile showing a sharp drop in sympathy for Israelis since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. In the immediate aftermath, the same poll found 47% of Americans siding with Israel. In the new poll released Monday, 35% of registered American voters said they sympathized more with Palestinians compared to 34% with Israel.
While younger voters are least sympathetic to the Israelis, the biggest change over the last two years, the survey found, was among older Democrats who are white and college-educated.
In addition to the slim preference for the Palestinians, the poll demonstrated a significant waning in support for Israel among Americans during the nearly two-year war in Gaza.
Additionally, 58% of respondents said Israel should halt its military campaign in Gaza to prevent civilian casualties, even if the 20 living Israeli hostages have not yet been freed. A similar share said the offensive should end even if Hamas has not been completely defeated.
The poll also found that 40% of voters believe that Israel is intentionally killing Palestinian civilians, and 62% believe Israel is not taking enough precautions to avoid civilian casualties.
The survey of 1,313 registered voters nationwide was taken Sept. 22 to 27, following reports of starvation in Gaza and as Israeli military’s widened its offensive in the besieged enclave — and before Israel accepted President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war.
It found that a slight majority, 51%, of registered voters disapprove of the United States providing additional economic and military support to Israel.
The findings also underscore a growing partisan divide over the conflict, with 54% of Democrats saying they sympathize more with Palestinians, and 64% of Republicans with Israelis. But while a majority of Republicans support the Israelis, that sentiment has also dropped by 14% over the course of the war, according to a June Quinnipiac poll.
