US opinion shifts on Israel as nearly 60% of Americans back Palestinian recognition - poll

Almost six out of ten Americans (59%) back a formal recognition of a Palestinian state, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that ran for six days and was closed on Monday. Some 33% of the American respondents were opposed while the remaining were unsure or did not respond to the question.

The poll also revealed significant differences across the political spectrum. A whopping 80% of Democratic voters reportedly support diplomatic recognition compared to only 41% among Republicans. Slightly over half of U.S. President Donald Trump’s voters – 53%, expressed opposition to the diplomatic recognition. The poll was conducted online and is based on responses from 4,385 individuals across the United States. The poll had a margin of error of 2 percentage points.

Last month, France, the UK, Canada, Australia, Belgium and other Western nations unilaterally recognized the State of Palestine despite strong criticism from Jerusalem and Washington. Israel and the Trump administration have both stressed that the unilateral recognition constitutes a major reward for Hamas and the Oct. 7 massacre of 1,200 Israelis. Hamas itself has admitted that it views the diplomatic recognition of Palestine as a reward for the Oct. 7 atrocities.

“This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned in a post on 𝕏 in July.

However, if accurate and representative of the wider U.S. society, the new poll indicates that much of the American public currently disagrees with the Trump administration’s policies concerning Israel and the Middle East conflict.

The Trump administration has been very supportive of the Jewish state’s right to defend itself against Hamas, a Jihadist genocidal terrorist organization that openly calls for the Jewish state’s destruction and the murder of all Jews. However, 60% of the Americans in the new Reuters poll reportedly believe that Israel’s military response in Gaza was “excessive.” Approximately one third (32%) of the respondents disagreed while the remaining did not respond to the question.

While the American public remains deeply divided on Trump, a slight majority (51%) of the respondents agreed that he “deserves significant credit” if his Gaza ceasefire plan leads to a lasting peace in the Middle East. However, a significant minority – 42%, disagreed with the statement.

Only one in 20 Democrats reportedly approve of Trump’s overall performance as president. However, 25% of Democratic voters nevertheless backed Trump’s efforts to secure peace and stability in the Middle East.

Overall, Trump’s foreign policy was backed by 38% of the U.S. public according to the new Reuters/Ipsos poll. While still significantly below 50%, it constituted a slight increase compared to a 33% approval rate in a previous poll that was published just before the Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump administration earlier this month.

In the past, Israel has enjoyed solid bipartisan support among both Republican and Democrat voters. However, changing demographics and many young Democrat voters moving further left on the political spectrum, have eroded some support for the Jewish state. Furthermore, biased media reporting of the Gaza war has also undermined support for Israel especially among young American voters.

In December 2023, a majority of the American public supported Israel’s military operations against Hamas in Gaza. However, a Gallup poll published in April 2024, indicated that over half of Americans no longer approve of Israel’s military operations in Gaza.

Newsweek Magazine, which published the poll, wrote at the time that “a majority, 55%, disapprove of Israel's actions, while 36% approve.” The dramatic shift in opinions on Israel and the Middle East was particularly noticeable among younger American voters.