Americans divided over US involvement in Israel-Hamas war: poll
- Roughly 40% think the U.S. is doing the right amount in the Israel conflict
- Americans are divided over general U.S. support for Israel and Palestinians
- Support for Netanyahu is at a record low
US President Joe Biden (L), sits with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the start of the Israeli war cabinet meeting, in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. US President Joe Biden landed in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023 as Middle East anger flared after hundreds were killed when a rocket struck a hospital in war-torn Gaza, with Israel and the Palestinians quick to trade blame. (Photo by Miriam Alster / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MIRIAM ALSTER/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
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(NewsNation) — The American public is divided over how much involvement the U.S. should have in the war between Israel and Hamas, according to a new poll released this week.
New findings from Gallup published Friday found four in 10 surveyed Americans say the U.S. is involved about the right amount, while 39% think the country should be doing more and 19% think the U.S. is doing too much.
An equal amount of Republicans and Democrats responded the U.S. is not doing enough, but Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say the U.S. is doing about right, while Republicans are more likely to think the U.S. is doing too much.
The poll was taken in early December, two months into the conflict that began on Oct. 7 with an attack by Hamas on Israel. Polling began as a temporary cease-fire and hostage exchanges ended. Since then, Israel has indicated the war could continue for months.
The Biden administration came out in strong support of Israel after the October attack, but Biden administration officials have recently begun calling for more restraint in response to the high number of civilian casualties in Gaza and fears that conflicts with neighboring Hezbollah could escalate the conflict into a regional war.
Americans were also split over support the U.S. gives both Israel and Palestine more generally, with 38% of Americans saying Israel has the right amount of support, 36% too much and 24% too little. When it came to Palestine, roughly a third of Americans said too much, too little and the right amount.
The view of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu among Americans is negative, with an unfavorable rating of 47%, the worst on record. Republicans are more likely to have a favorable view of Netanyahu at 55% compared to 14% of Democrats and 30% of independents.