More Americans side with Palestinians

Nearly two years after the Gaza war began, public opinion in the United States has shifted dramatically, with a large share of voters now expressing strongly negative views about the Israeli government’s conduct in the conflict.

The survey, conducted by The New York Times and Siena College, found that for the first time since the paper began asking voters in 1998 about their sympathies in the conflict, more respondents favor Palestinians over Israelis.

According to the report, in the immediate aftermath of the October 7, 2023 “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, U.S. voters broadly sympathized with Israel—47% siding with Tel Aviv compared to only 20% with Palestinians. But in the latest poll, 35% of voters said they support Palestinians, while 31% said they were unsure or supported both sides equally.

The poll also shows that a majority of Americans now oppose providing additional economic or military aid to Israel—a dramatic shift in public opinion since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

Roughly six in ten voters believe Israel should end its military campaign even if the remaining Israeli hostages are not released or Hamas is not eliminated. Meanwhile, 40% of respondents said they believe Israel is deliberately killing civilians in Gaza—nearly double the proportion who held this view in 2023.

The findings point to potential challenges for the future of the U.S.-Israel alliance. Since its founding in 1948, Israel has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars.

Younger voters, regardless of party affiliation, are increasingly opposed to Washington’s continued support for Tel Aviv. Nearly 7 in 10 voters under the age of 30 said they oppose additional economic or military assistance.

The survey also highlights a partisan divide: more Democrats than Republicans oppose continued U.S. aid to Israel and favor an end to the Gaza war. Over 80% of Democrats said Israel should stop fighting even if it fails to achieve its stated objectives—up sharply from about 60% who expressed that view just two years ago.