Poll shows decline in US public support for Israel, Netanyahu

Public attitudes in the United States towards Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have become increasingly negative over the past three years, according to a new opinion poll, as Israel continues its bombing of Gaza.

The survey, conducted by the Pew Research Centre in the United States, repeated questions posed in earlier polls between March 2022 and 2024, allowing comparisons over time.

This year, 53 per cent of respondents said they held a negative view of Israel, up from 43 per cent in 2022.

According to the results, 69 per cent of Democrats said they viewed Israel unfavourably this year, compared to 37 per cent among Republicans. Both groups recorded an increase in negative perceptions.

The findings also revealed that 69 per cent of religiously unaffiliated respondents expressed no support for Israel whatsoever. Meanwhile, 27 per cent of Jewish Americans surveyed said they held a negative view of Israel.

On the subject of Israeli leadership, 52 per cent of Americans said they do not believe that Netanyahu “will do the right thing regarding world affairs”.

Regarding US foreign policy, 62 per cent of respondents opposed US “President Donald Trump’s plan to take over Gaza”, with this number rising to 64 per cent among Jewish American participants.

Although 66 per cent of Americans believe that Israeli military actions in Palestine serve US interests, this percentage reflects a nine-point decline from the previous year.

Since 7 October 2023, Israel, with full American support, has carried out a military campaign in Gaza in which more than 166,000 Palestinians have been killed or injured, the majority of them women and children. Over 11,000 are also missing, presumed dead under the rubble.

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