For first time, Americans sympathise more with Palestinians than Israelis: Gallup poll

For the first time in more than two decades, a majority of Americans express greater sympathy for Palestinians than Israelis in the long-running Middle East war, according to a Gallup poll released Friday.

The shift comes in the wake of the recent devastating war in Gaza.

The survey found that 41 per cent of Americans sympathize more with the Palestinians, while 36 per cent side with Israel. The remainder either favoured both, neither, or were undecided. Although the difference is not statistically significant, it marks the first time since Gallup began asking the question that Israel did not lead in public support.

The change reflects a notable shift among independents, who now favor the Palestinians by 11 percentage points. Political affiliation continues to play a major role: 70 percent of Republicans still side with Israel, though this is down 10 points from a decade ago, while Democrats’ support for Israel has declined steadily since former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clashed with President Barack Obama over Iran’s nuclear program.

A year ago, Israel still held the lead in sympathy, with 46 per cent of Americans backing Israel compared to 33 per cent favoring Palestinians. The latest findings underscore how Americans’ views on the conflict are becoming increasingly divided along partisan lines, with independents driving much of the recent shift.