Americans Shift Sympathy Toward Palestinians: Gallup

News Desk 

New York: Public opinion in the United States has undergone a notable shift, with more Americans now expressing sympathy for Palestinians than Israelis, according to a new survey released by Gallup.

The poll found that 41 percent of respondents said they sympathize more with the Palestinians, compared to 36 percent who favor Israel, marking the first time in over two decades of tracking that Israel has not led in overall sympathy.

The remaining respondents said they supported both sides, neither side, or were undecided.

The change is particularly striking compared to last year, when Israel held a 46 to 33 percent advantage. Analysts view the shift as reflective of evolving political and generational dynamics within the US.

Among political groups, independents leaned toward Palestinians by an 11-point margin. Support for Israel remains strongest within President Donald Trump’s Republican Party, where 70 percent expressed sympathy with Israel, though that figure has declined by 10 percentage points over the past decade.

Democratic voters, meanwhile, have moved sharply in the opposite direction. In the latest findings, 65 percent of Democrats said they sympathize more with Palestinians, while just 17 percent sided with Israel.

The shift follows years of growing tensions, dating back to disputes between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former US president Barack Obama over Iran policy, and more recently criticism of former president Joe Biden’s handling of the Gaza conflict after October 7, 2023.

The survey was conducted by telephone among 1,001 US adults from February 2 to 16.