Although Americans are still more likely to say their sympathies in the Middle East conflict lie with the Israelis than the Palestinians, only 46 percent say they favor Israel, the lowest in 25 years of Gallup’s annual tracking of this measure in its World Affairs Poll. The previous low of 51 percent was last year and in 2001.

At the same time, the poll found, the 33 percent of American adults who now say they sympathize with the Palestinians is up six percentage points from last year, a two-point increase.

The latest reading from the most reliable and accurate polling organization of all types, Gallup, found that from February 3 to 16, while the temporary ceasefire and hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas that began in mid-January held, the poll began a day before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the White House, which included a joint press conference with President Donald Trump, in which Trump expressed his intention to take over Gaza, expel the Palestinians from it, and turn it into the Riviera of the Middle East.

The February poll also found that 40% of U.S. adults approve of Trump’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, down from 45% overall. Republicans and Democrats are sharply divided in their assessments of Trump’s performance, and they hold different views of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (including Gaza), with Republicans viewing Israel more favorably than Democrats (83% vs. 33%) and Democrats viewing the Palestinians and the Palestinian territories more favorably than Republicans (45% vs. 18%).

Republicans more sympathetic to Israelis, Democrats more sympathetic to Palestinians

Partisan sympathies for the Middle East follow a similar pattern to their positive assessments of both sides. That is, Republicans sympathize broadly with the Israelis (75%) versus the Palestinians (10%), while Democrats sympathize with the Palestinians nearly three times as much (59% vs. 21%). Independent sympathies are similar to national averages. Republicans and independents have consistently supported the Israelis since 2001, though independent support for the Israelis is now at its lowest point in world affairs polls, at one point. Democrats also leaned toward the Israelis until 2022, when roughly equal shares said they sympathized with each side. Since then, Democrats have consistently supported the Palestinians.

Initially, the decline in Democratic sympathy for Israelis was apparently a result of disapproval of the country’s right-wing political leadership under Benjamin Netanyahu. However, it has declined further over the past two years. In February 2023, Democratic sympathy for Israelis fell to 38%, while the reading for Palestinians jumped 11 points to 49%, marking the first time that sympathy for Palestinians has prevailed among this group. “Eight months later, on October 7, 2023, Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing more than 1,000 Israelis and taking nearly 250 hostage. Democratic sympathy for the Palestinian people had fallen by six points by February 2024. A year later, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continued, Democratic sympathy for Palestinians rose by 16 points, marking the first time it has reached a majority.

Americans continue to support the two-state solution in the Middle East

For years, a central tenet of Middle East peace proposals has been the so-called “two-state solution,” which would entail the creation of a Palestinian state, according to Gallup. Gallup has been measuring Americans’ views on this issue since 1999. Since then, more Americans have supported the creation of an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and that support continues today. Currently, 55 percent of Americans support the two-state solution, while 31 percent oppose it, and 14 percent of those surveyed said they had no opinion on the issue.

The latest poll finds that 55% of American adults support the creation of a Palestinian state, which is consistent with readings from 2020, which ranged from 52% to 55%. Before then, Americans were still more likely to support an independent Palestinian state than oppose it, but support was often below majority level. Support and opposition were broadly similar in 2015 and 2017.

Majority of Democrats and Independents Support Independent Palestinian State

Given their overwhelming sympathy for the Palestinians, according to Gallup, it’s only natural that Democrats also broadly support an independent Palestinian state. The poll found that about three-quarters of Democrats, 76%, support such a state, compared with 53% of independents. Meanwhile, 41% of Republicans support a Palestinian state, and 49% oppose it.

Democratic support for Palestinian statehood has been on an upward trend since 2021, while independent support has been relatively flat over the same period. Republican support has risen by 15 points after falling sharply last year.

Conclusion

The Gallup poll finds that American sympathy for Israelis continues to decline, largely due to declining support among Democrats for the Israelis in the long-running conflict with the Palestinians. Republicans remain overwhelmingly sympathetic to the Israelis.

Meanwhile, the creation of an independent Palestinian state still enjoys the support of a majority of Americans, though far more Democrats than Republicans. Discussion of a two-state approach to peace in the region has largely stalled in the wake of the October 7, 2023, attack, as world leaders grapple with how to secure Israel after the war, what role Hamas will play in Gaza, and how to govern the West Bank.