Historic Shift in American Public Opinion: Gallup Poll Shows Sympathy Advantage for Palestinians

American public opinion is experiencing a historic shift in the perception of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to the latest poll by the Gallup institute, published on Friday, for the first time in over two decades of measurement, more US citizens sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis. The study found that 41% of American voters declare greater sympathy for Palestinians, while 36% support Israelis. The five-percentage-point difference is not statistically significant but symbolically ends the period of unquestioned sympathy advantage for Israel in American society. A year earlier, the ratio was 46% to 33% in favor of Israel, meaning a ten-point drop in support for that state in just twelve months. This change occurs in the context of the war in Gaza, which began after the attack by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. According to data cited in the articles, approximately 1,200 people were killed in that attack, and over 250 were taken captive. The Israeli response, described in one source as a "genocidal war," has led to the deaths of over 72,000 people in Gaza. This scale of casualties and the nature of the warfare are indicated as the main factor changing the perception of the American public. „Support for Israel among United States citizens has dramatically decreased, according to a new Gallup poll, marking an unprecedented shift in decades of overwhelming, unconditional backing for Israel, regardless of which party was in the White House or had control of Congress.” — Al Jazeera Online The United States has traditionally been Israel's most important ally since its establishment in 1948. American military, economic, and diplomatic support has been the foundation of Israeli security for decades. Public opinion in the US consistently favored Israel in polls, reflecting a strong pro-Israel lobby and broad bipartisan support in Congress. Therefore, a change in this trend is an event of geopolitical significance.The new sentiment is largely driven by independent voters, who previously reported more pro-Israeli views in Gallup polls. Currently, these voters sympathize more with Palestinians than with Israelis by a ratio of 41% to 30%, giving an eleven-point advantage. Among Democrats, the change is even more pronounced: 65% sympathize more with Palestinians, while only 17% support Israel. Republicans remain a bastion of support for Israel – seven in ten still declare greater sympathy for Israelis. This deep partisan division reflects the polarization of American foreign policy, where the Middle East issue is becoming another front in the ideological battle. Despite this change in sympathies, Israel's overall image among Americans still remains more positive than that of the Palestinian Territories. 46% of respondents view Israel favorably, while the Palestinian Territories enjoy the favor of 37% of those surveyed. However, Israel's favorable image has dropped to a level close to its historical low in Gallup measurements. The poll was published as a fragile ceasefire negotiated with American mediation entered its second phase, yet Israeli military actions continue to cause fatalities. The Gallup poll not only records a momentary shift in sentiment but may signal a lasting transformation in the American approach to one of the world's longest-running conflicts, with potentially far-reaching consequences for US foreign policy and dynamics in the Middle East.