A majority of Americans support Israel in its war against the Hamas terrorist organization, but sympathy for Israel is declining among Democrats, according to a new survey published today (Monday) by the Wall Street Journal.
According to the poll, 55% of Americans believe that Israel is responding with the appropriate level of military force needed to defend itself following the October 7 massacre, while 25% believe that Israel is using disproportionate force.
42% of voters said that they sympathize more with Israel than with the Palestinian Arabs, compared to just 12% who sympathize more with the Palestinian Arabs.
Support for Israel was significantly lower among Democrats. Just 17% of Democratic voters said that they sympathize more with Israel, while nearly 25% sympathize more with the Palestinian Arabs. About half of Democratic voters said that they are equally sympathetic to both sides.
The difference was most stark with younger Democratic voters, who support the Palestinian Arabs over Israel 35% to 13%. Democratic voters over the age of 50 continue to support Israel, with 22% sympathizing with Israel compared to 12% for the Palestinian Arabs.
Over two thirds of Republicans sympathize more with Israel, while just 2% sympathize more with the Palestinian Arabs.
Among Independents, 35% sympathize more with Israel, while just 11% sympathize more with the Palestinian Arabs.
About 20% of respondents said that the Biden Administration has been too supportive of Israel during the current war, while about 25% said that the administration has not been supportive enough, and over 33% said that the US has been supportive enough of Israel.
US President Joe Biden's handling of the war was met with disapproval by a majority of 52% of respondents, while 37% approve of his handling of the war.
The survey found that foreign policy ranks low on American voters' lists of top concerns going into next year's presidential elections, and that the war between Israel and Hamas is the top issue of only a small percentage of voters, most of whom are more concerned by issues which directly affect the US such as the economy and immigration.
