Gallup: US Sympathy for Palestinians Hits Historic High

For the first time since Gallup began tracking the question in 2001, more Americans sympathize with the Palestinians (41%) than with the Israelis (36%). This closes a gap that had averaged 43 percentage points in favor of Israel between 2001 and 2018. Just three years ago, 54% of Americans sympathized more with Israelis, compared to 31% for Palestinians. The shift is most pronounced among Democrats and political independents. Approximately two-thirds of Democrats now say their sympathies lie more with the Palestinians, with only about 2 in 10 sympathizing with the Israelis. Among independents, 41% now sympathize more with Palestinians, the first time this group has favored the Palestinian side in Gallup's trend. Republican support for Israel remains strong at about 70%. A significant generational divide underpins the new data. A majority of adults aged 18 to 34 (53%) say they sympathize more with the Palestinians, while only 23% in that age group sympathize more with the Israelis, a record low. For the first time, middle-aged Americans (35 to 54) also express more sympathy for the Palestinians (46%) than for the Israelis (28%), a near-reversal from the previous year. While the trend accelerated during the war in Gaza, the shift in public opinion was already underway. Democrats began expressing greater sympathy for Palestinians than Israelis in a Gallup poll conducted before the October 7, 2023 attacks, with the trendline showing a steady tilt since around 2017. Despite the shift in sympathies, a majority of Americans (57%) continue to support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. This support is highest among Democrats at 77%, with 57% of independents also in favor.