PNN – Polls in the United States indicate that 30 percent of American Jews believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; the war and atrocities committed by the Zionist regime in the region—particularly the genocide in Gaza over the past two and a half years—have brought about a significant shift in American public opinion. For decades, both Republicans and Democrats in the United States maintained consistent and substantial support for Israel; however, following the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023—which resulted in the near-total destruction of the enclave and the displacement of two million Palestinians—that image has become more ambiguous.
In this regard, a new joint poll by the Associated Press and the University of Chicago’s NORC indicates a significant decline in support for the country’s longtime ally.
According to this poll, approximately one-third of American adults—including about 50 percent of Democrats—believe that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. A particularly noteworthy aspect of this finding is that half of the Democratic Party’s supporters believe Israel has perpetrated genocide in Gaza; as this conviction gains traction among the party’s base, one can expect anti-Israel sentiments within Congress to intensify rapidly. In a climate where the Democratic voter base views Israel as a regime that has committed—and continues to commit—crimes against humanity, the influence of Zionist lobbies in Congress will inevitably diminish.
Another significant point is that 30 percent of “American Jewish” adults also state that Israel has committed genocide. Thus, it can be said that since October 2023, American sympathies have shifted toward the Palestinians.
The survey also examined support for Israel based on party affiliation and observed a significant shift within the Democratic Party. Approximately 58 percent of Democrats say the United States “supports Israel too much”—a view that has strengthened since January 2024, when the same survey recorded a figure of 45 percent during Joe Biden’s presidency. Notably, 51 percent of Jewish Democrats share this opinion.
Additionally, about 62 percent of Democrats say the U.S. “does not support the Palestinians enough”—a figure that has risen from 49 percent in 2024. Younger Democrats—those aged 45 and under—remain more likely than older Democrats to say the U.S. is not doing enough to support the Palestinians. However, approximately 57 percent of older Democrats also insist that the U.S. should do more for the Palestinians, up from 39 percent two years ago.
In short, supporters of the US Democratic Party are calling for a shift in their government’s policies regarding Israel and Palestine. A similar trend is evident among the European public, where grassroots anti-war protests and boycotts of Israeli goods and services emerged; nearly three years later, this wave has grown in both scale and intensity, with an increasing number of European companies, organizations, associations, and universities openly and formally seeking to sever ties with entities linked to the Zionist regime. Consequently, current trends in the United States suggest that we will witness similar shifts in the country in the short term, as the evolution of opinion among Republicans—albeit at a slower pace—is moving in the same direction. At present, only 20 percent of Republicans state that “Israel has committed genocide” and that the U.S. “supports Israel too much”; however, closer analysis reveals that the majority of this group consists of younger Republicans under the age of 45, implying that this percentage could increase in the coming years.
Another significant point is that the percentage of Republicans who believe the United States “does not support Israel enough” has dropped from 39 percent in 2024 to 15 percent. This factor is also important for predicting shifts in U.S. policy toward Israel.
Based on this, and considering the data from this survey, a few key points can be highlighted:
- The shift in attitude among Democrats in the U.S. is no longer confined to the younger generation. While changes in stance regarding the Palestinians were previously observed primarily among young Democrats, growing support for the Palestinian cause is now evident among older Democrats as well. This indicates that the shift in perspective has become more structural and widespread.
- The use of the term “genocide” has entered the mainstream of public opinion. The fact that approximately one-third of Americans—and nearly half of Democrats—view Israel’s actions as constituting genocide demonstrates that a term once largely confined to human rights and academic discourse has gained significant traction in American public opinion; this will have a direct, negative impact on Israel’s legitimacy within the United States.
- Support for Israel’s military response to October 7 has diverged into two distinct issues: the initial reaction versus the continuation of the war. Even among American Jews, support for Israel’s immediate response following October 7 is stronger than support for the ongoing military operations in Gaza. This indicates that as the war drags on, the perceived legitimacy of the military action has diminished among segments of the public.
- As noted in the report, these shifts could influence U.S. foreign policy. Given that the Democratic voter base is increasingly calling for pressure on Israel and greater support for the Palestinians, Democratic representatives and candidates will face mounting internal pressure to re-evaluate the traditional U.S. stance toward Israel.
- Another important issue is the emerging generational divide within the Republican Party. Although the majority of Republicans continue to support Israel, younger Republicans are more critical of the extent of U.S. support for Israel than older generations—a trend that could influence the party’s stance in the long run.
Overall, the survey revealed that the unconditional, bipartisan support for Israel—a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy for decades—is eroding; this shift has primarily originated within the Democratic Party, yet signs of it are also evident among young Republicans and even American Jews.