Gallup Poll
March 1-20, 2024
The Details
1. Approval amongst Americans for Israel’s military actions in Gaza has dropped from 50% to 36% since November last year.
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After narrowly backing Israel’s military action in Gaza in November, Americans now oppose the campaign by a solid margin.
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Men tend to approve of Israel more than women (36% compared to 30%).
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There is a marked difference in between those aged over 55, who tend to be more approving (46%) than the average and the younger cohorts. This aligns with the fact that this age group tends to follow the war more closely than the under 54 age group.
2. Americans are still following the war closely, but less so if they are younger or with a lower household income.
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In November, 72% were following closely, and now 74% are.
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In all cases (those following closely, somewhat closely and not closely), around 55% do not approve of all. However, those following very closely approve of Israel more than those who are following somewhat closely, and significantly more than those not following closely at all.Older people tend to follow the war more closely (83%) than the under 54 age group.
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Wealthier people (above $100,000 household income) tend to follow the war more closely.
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Not surprisingly, almost 20% of those not following the war closely have no opinion. They are therefore worth engaging with so that their opinion of the Israeli people improves through personal interactions.
3. Republicans retain a positive stance regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza, whereas Democrats and Independents are decidedly negative.
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All three major party groups in the U.S. have become less supportive of Israel’s actions in Gaza than they were in November. This includes declines of 18 percentage points in approval among both Democrats and independents and a seven-point decline among Republicans.
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Independents have shifted from being divided in their views of the Israeli military action to opposing it. Democrats, who were already largely opposed in November, are even more so now, with 18% approving and 75% disapproving.
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Republicans still support Israel’s military efforts, but a reduced majority -- 64%, down from 71% -- now approve.
4. Biden’s approval rating for his handling of the situation in the Middle East, at 27%, is his lowest among five issues tested in the survey.
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According to Gallup’s analysis, this is because far fewer Democrats (47%) approve of how he is handling the situation between the Israelis and Palestinians than approve of his handling of the economy, the environment, energy policy and foreign affairs, broadly.
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Still, it appears that the Middle East conflict has not taken an obvious toll on Biden’s political standing. His overall job approval rating is 40%, compared with 37% in October and November surveys, perhaps being lifted by Americans’ greater confidence in the U.S. economy.
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And yet, it could hurt the president by dampening turnout among would-be Biden voters who care deeply about the issue and are upset with his handling of the situation. We know the elections will be very close, and decided in the Swing States, where there have already been clear indications of “no confidence” in Biden in some of them.
Key Takeaways
The majority in the U.S. now disapproves of Israeli action in Gaza. This poll confirms what we’re been seeing in recent weeks – that the narrative coming out of Israel no longer wins over most Americans.
Those who follow the war closely are more supportive of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. This indicates that knowledge is power, and we need to find a way to educate audiences better. Conversely, recognizing that many do not wish to be educated about a war that is far away from them, we need to engage those who have less interest in the war and start building relationships with them that are based on shared values and common areas of interest. As before October 7, the world needs to get to know the Israelis and realize that we are just like them!
Israel has to become a non-partisan issue again if we are to maintain support in America. The November elections can go either way, and the future is very unclear. Republicans still support Israel significantly, but less than they did in November last year. Democrats’ and Independents’ support has dropped dramatically. This is dangerous for Israel’s long-term future.
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