USA, Apr 12 (V7N) –A new Pew Research Center survey reveals a striking shift in American public opinion toward Israel, with a majority of US adults (53%) now expressing an unfavourable view of the country, up sharply from 42% in March 2022.
This marks the highest level of disapproval recorded in recent years, reflecting growing domestic unease over Israel’s actions in Gaza and its broader role in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.


The survey, conducted between March 24 and March 30, comes just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to the United States, his second since President Donald Trump returned to office.

While Israel has long enjoyed strong bipartisan support in the US, the new data shows growing skepticism, especially among younger Americans and Democrats.

Nearly 70% of Democrats now hold unfavourable views of Israel, compared to 37% of Republicans. Among Republicans under 50, views are nearly split: 50% view Israel negatively, compared to 48% positively; a sharp contrast to 2022 figures, when favourable opinions dominated.

Muslim Americans and the religiously unaffiliated report overwhelmingly negative views of Israel (81% and 69%, respectively).

Netanyahu’s leadership also received poor marks from the American public. Just 32% of respondents said they have confidence in Netanyahu to handle world affairs, while 52% expressed little or no confidence, a figure that rises to 87% among Muslim Americans.


Even within the Jewish American community, opinion is split: 53% say they lack confidence in Netanyahu, while 45% support his leadership.

Waning interest in Israel-Hamas conflict
Public concern over the Israel-Hamas war appears to be declining. Only 54% of Americans say the conflict is important to them personally, a significant drop from 65% in January.

A similar trend is seen when Americans consider the conflict’s relevance to US national interests, with 66% now viewing it as important, down from 75% last year.

Americans remain divided over President Trump’s handling of Israeli-Palestinian relations. While 31% believe he favors Israelis too heavily, 29% say he strikes the right balance. Just 3% think he favors Palestinians too much. Muslim Americans were particularly critical, with 70% saying Trump favors Israelis excessively.

A controversial suggestion by President Trump, that the US should take control of the Gaza Strip, is also broadly rejected by the public. Sixty-two percent of Americans oppose the idea, including nearly half who “strongly oppose” it. Only 15% support the proposal.

Support for a peaceful two-state solution is also eroding. Just 46% of Americans believe Israel and a future Palestinian state can coexist peacefully, down from 52% in late 2023. Younger adults and Democrats are more optimistic than Republicans and older generations.

 

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