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Celerity

(54,506 posts)
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 05:13 AM 12 hrs ago

Support for Israel hits new low (only 37% favourable, 60% unfavourable) in US, new poll shows

Americans continue to increasingly view Israel negatively amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/04/08/israel-netanyahu-favorability-pew-poll/89519136007/

The results published April 7 found 60% of all American adults had an unfavorable opinion of Israel, compared with 53% a year earlier. Just 37% of respondents had a favorable view of Israel, a longstanding ally of the United States in the region and a historic beneficiary of foreign aid.

Pew’s latest polling is a 20-point shift since 2022, when most Americans had favorable views of Israel. Then, just 42% had an unfavorable opinion of Israel. Pew found younger Americans across the ideological spectrum in particular have negative views toward Israel. About 70% of respondents younger than 50 had unfavorable opinions of Israel.

Among people who identified with the Democrats, 80% had unfavorable opinions of Israel. Pew said Republicans had mixed opinions on Israel, with about 58% still having favorable views compared with 41% disapproval.



Pew fielded its poll of around 3,500 American adults between March 23 and March 29, about a month into the United States' and Israel’s war with Iran, which is now in a ceasefire. The war has fueled Americans' suspicions that Israel, particularly Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has dragged the United States into a protracted conflict in the Middle East.

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hlthe2b

(114,063 posts)
1. Yet, far too many will (wrongly) point to this as pure anti-Semitism when realizing US favorability
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 06:06 AM
11 hrs ago

simultaneously is in the dust heap--but recognizing the latter is all due to Trump and his policies, rather than an innate hate of Americans.

Netanyahu and HIS policies have been disastrous--for Israel, for Israel-supporters the world over. His collaboration with our orange monster have set forth policies disastrous for the US and the world. Ignorant and power-hungry, those two but it is not an inherent hate for Jews OR Americans explaining that INCREASE in anger toward either country. Both want to stay out of jail and use war as a means to deflect from their crimes that would undoubtedly put them there--or at least cause them to be rightfully tossed from office. Such self-serving is putting the entire world at risk of economic disaster--and a widening regional war (if not worse).

Netanyahu has Trump by the nose ring. That Trump would not have taken much persuading is beside the point. Americans (and the rest of the world) have every REASON to be angry at BOTH as a result. That is NOT simple, pure antisemitism. That is NOT simple, pure anti-Americanism.

yardwork

(69,392 posts)
8. It depends on how opinions are expressed.
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 10:04 AM
7 hrs ago

Every Jewish person I know well is and has been opposed to Israel's actions, for decades. Their synagogues routinely protest Israeli actions. For decades. Many Americans - including many Jewish Americans and even many Jewish people in Israel - can disagree with Israel's policies and actions without extending that to bigotry against Jewish people in general.

When people say things to my friends like "Jews take things away from other people," or "Don't bring your kids to Hebrew School today, we're going to bomb it," or throw red paint on Jewish people's homes, etc., then I'm going to accuse those people of antisemitism.

hlthe2b

(114,063 posts)
12. Exactly the opposite of what I was referring to.
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 10:18 AM
7 hrs ago
Of course the latter is antisemitism. Do you not see the difference in my point?

artemisia1

(1,887 posts)
4. 37 percent don't care about a rogue state committing mass murder and war crimes. No wonder the U.S. is now
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 07:12 AM
10 hrs ago

a fascist run craphole state when so many of its citizens have no functioning moral compass.

3_Limes

(538 posts)
5. Before long we mag see Dem leadership start to think about changing their ideas about support for Israel.
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 07:12 AM
10 hrs ago

Not right away, mind you. But maybe when it gets to 80 or 90 percent disapprove, will they finally bow to reality.

(We can hope, right?)

Johnny2X2X

(24,271 posts)
6. I just don't get what the US gets from supporting Israel anymore
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 08:39 AM
8 hrs ago

I think power imbalances are what creates aggression when evil people are in charge. BiBi is evil and the power imbalance he has because of US military support allows him to murder thousands without fear of any real proportional retaliation. I don't want anyone to die, but you have the strong and the weak in that region and the strong acts without fear of any real threat so there's no reason for them not to be barbaric. Maybe if the US stopped supporting Israel, they'd negotiate for peace instead of what we are seeing now with genocide and illegal expansion of lands.

Scrivener7

(59,641 posts)
7. About the antisemitism issue: I, as an American, am grateful to those from other countries
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 09:10 AM
8 hrs ago

who are loudly voicing their opposition to what my country is doing right now. I am happy to see them pulling away from us, both because it is the only thing they can do and because it is a concrete protest.

I don't consider those people to be showing any hatred for me or my religious beliefs or cultural group. I am happy to hear them adding their voices to my own in objecting to my country's vile acts.

For many of us (not all, I do understand that) the opposition to Israel is exactly the same.


Response to Celerity (Original post)

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