American Support for Israel Is Slipping

Fewer Americans now believe that the U.S. should support Israel in its war against Hamas, with more saying it should act as a "neutral mediator" during the violence, according to a poll.

A Reuters/Ipsos survey, conducted between November 13-14, found that just under a third (32 percent) of Americans say that the U.S. should continue to back Israel in the conflict, a nine-point drop from the 41 percent who said the country should support its close ally in mid-October.

The militant group Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian attack on Israel in history on October 7, killing at least 1,200. Israel declared it was at war with Hamas and launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. More than 11,200 Palestinians, a majority of them women and children, have been killed since the war began, the Associated Press reports citing the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, which does not differentiate between civilian and militant deaths. A further 2,700 people have been reported missing in Gaza since the fighting broke out.

The survey of 1,006 American adults also revealed that more people believe the U.S. should act as a "neutral moderator" between Israel and Hamas compared to the early days of the conflict, rising from 27 percent in a mid-October Reuters/Ipsos survey to 39 percent in November's poll.

The poll also found that a majority of Americans (68 percent) agree with the statement: "Israel should call a ceasefire and try to negotiate."

President Joe Biden has repeatedly rejected calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, and instead has pushed for so-called "humanitarian pauses" to allow civilians to receive aid and for foreign nationals trapped in Gaza to leave.

Biden not calling for a ceasefire is at odds with progressive members of the Democratic Party, as well as a majority of voters on all sides. The survey found that 77 percent of Democrats, 53 percent of Republicans and 82 percent of Independent voters agree that Israel should call for a ceasefire.

The White House has been contacted for comment via email.

Elsewhere, there are fewer Americans who hold a favorable view of Israel in November's survey compared to last month, down from 64 percent in October to 57 percent.

The survey found there is a 50-50 split between Americans on whether they believe that Israel's response to Hamas' October 7 attacks has been excessive, with Democrats are more likely to agree (62 percent) it has been than Republicans (30 percent).

A slight majority of Americans (51 percent) say they consider Hamas to be most responsible for the current conflict, a result similar to October when 49 percent said the same.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll also found that few Americans believe that the U.S. should support Palestinians during the conflict, with four percent agreeing with the sentiment in November, up from two percent in October.

About half of Americans (48 percent) say they feel sympathy for the Israeli and Palestinian people amid the conflict, but nearly a quarter (24 percent) say they have more sympathy for Israeli people.

A total of eight percent say they have more sympathy for Palestinian people, with 21 percent saying neither.

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