Majority of Americans Back Israel as Democrats Split Over War With Hamas, WSJ Poll Finds
WASHINGTON—U.S. public opinion remains favorable toward Israel in its war with Hamas, but just over a third of Americans say they are equally sympathetic to both the Israeli and Palestinian people, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds. Fifty-five percent of those polled said they believe Israel is taking the military action needed to defend itself and prevent another attack by Hamas, compared with 25% of respondents who said Israel’s military action is disproportionate and going too far.
In terms of attitudes toward the conflict, some 42% of voters said they sympathized more with the Israeli people, compared with 12% who said the same of the Palestinian people. U.S. attitudes on the conflict reflect partisan and generational divides, as fighting enters its third month.
President Biden received low marks for his response to the war, with 37% of those polled saying they approved of his handling of the conflict, compared with 52% of people who disapproved. The low marks are consistent with Biden’s overall approval ratings, which according to the Journal poll are at the weakest point of his presidency. The poll mirrored some of the heightened tensions across the country.
A wave of pro-Palestinian protests has swept college campuses and major cities, resulting in counterprotests and a contentious debate over free speech. Age and party affiliation were factors when it came to sentiment toward Israelis and Palestinians, the Journal poll found. Nearly a quarter of Democrats said they were more sympathetic to Palestinians, compared with 17% who said they sympathized more with the Israeli people.
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