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American Public Opinion Polls: Views Toward Foreign Aid

(1991 - Present)

Note: We are presenting raw data. We provide some or all of the crosstabs (i.e., breakdowns by various categories such as party ID) when available. To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by sample size, question wording, and question order. Context and timing may also influence responses, for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.



Do you think that Congress should or should not pass $14 billion in aid for Israel and for humanitarian aid for Gaza to help Israel defeat Hamas? (Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, December 13-14, 2023, February 21-22, 2024March 20-21, 2024)

  2023* Feb. 2024 March 2024
Support

54%

55% 56%
Oppose

46%

45% 44%

*Do you support or oppose $14 billion in aid to Israel to help it in its war with Hamas?


Do you support or oppose putting restrictions on US military aid to Israel so that it cannot use that aid toward military operations against Palestinians? [% Support] (Chicago Council Survey - Ipsos, July 7-26, 2021February 16–18, 2024)

  2021 2023 2024
Rep 32% 42% 40%
Ind 52% 51% 52%
Dem 62% 62% 64%
Total 50% 52% 53%

Do you support or oppose $14 billion in aid to Israel to help it in its war with Hamas? (Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, December 13-14, 2023)

Support

54%

Oppose

46%

Do you support or oppose the United States sending more military aid to Israel for their efforts in the war with Hamas? (Quinnipiac, November 9-13, 2023)

  November 2, 2023 November 13, 2023
Support

50%

52%
Oppose

42%

41%

Do you favor or Oppose: $14b aid package for Israel? (harrisx for Jewish Federations of North America and Conference of Presidents, November 13, 2023)

Support

58%

Oppose

42%

Would you support or oppose the U.S. government providing humanitarian aid to Israel? (The Economist/YouGov, October 14-17, 2023)

Strongly support

47%

Somewhat support

23%

Somewhat oppose 6%
Strongly oppose 8%
Not sure 16%

Would you support or oppose the U.S. government providing humanitarian aid to Palestine? (The Economist/YouGov, October 14-17, 2023)

Strongly support

20%

Somewhat support

19%

Somewhat oppose 12%
Strongly oppose 26%
Not sure 23%

Do you think it is a good or bad idea for the U.S. to impose economic sanctions on the Palestinian people? (The Economist/YouGov, October 14-17, 2023)

Good idea

26%

Bad idea

37%

Not sure 37%

Do you think it is a good or bad idea for the U.S. to send financial aid to Israel? (The Economist/YouGov, October 14-17, 2023)

Good idea

49%

Bad idea

21%

Not sure 31%

Do you think it is a good or bad idea for the U.S. to send weapons to Israel? (The Economist/YouGov, October 14-17, 2023)

Good idea

41%

Bad idea

29%

Not sure 30%

The U.S. should continue selling arms to Saudi Arabia. (Eurasia Group Foundation, October 5,  2022)

Agree

53%

Disagree

47%


The United States sells arms and military equipment to a number of countries around the world. Should the United States sell arms and military equipment to Israel? (Chicago Council Surveys, July 7-26, 2021)

  Rep Ind Dem Total
Should sell to 69% 47% 32% 48%
Should not sell to 30% 50% 64% 49%

Several members of Congress suggested withholding possible sale of arms to Israel, after its bombings of Gaza resulted in the death of over 250 people, mostly civilians, during intense fighting that also saw 12 Israelis, mostly civilians, killed by Hamas rockets. In general, do you support linking American arms supplies to Israel to Israel’s actions toward Palestinians? (University of Maryland, June 22-July 21, 2021)

  Rep Ind Dem Total
Yes 32.3% 21.2% 36.3% 33.1%
No 50.3% 46.4% 43.4% 46.6%
Don’t Know 17.4% 32.4% 20.3% 20.3%

In its policy toward Israel and the Palestinians, which of the following is closer to your views? (University of Maryland, June 22-July 21, 2021)

  Rep Ind Dem Total
The U.S. must apply more pressure on Israel, including withholding aid 6.3% 18.4% 43.7% 25.4%
The U.S. must apply more pressure on Palestinians, including withholding aid 49.0% 11.3% 8.5% 25.9%
Neither 44.7% 70.2% 47.8% 48.7%

Currently, the US sends $3.8 billion in military aid to Israel every year. Do you think United States aid to Israel should be increased, decreased, or kept at current levels? (Vox, May 19-21, 2021)

It should be increased

15%

It should be kept the same

38%

It should be decreased 36%
Don't know 11%

U.S. providing financial aid to Israeli government for its military [not question wording]. (Fox News, May 22-25, 2021)

Favor
56%
Oppose
38%

U.S. selling weapons to Israeli government [not question wording]. (Fox News, May 22-25, 2021)

Favor
51%
Oppose
44%

Support for security assistance to Israeal [don't have question]. (Democratic Majority for Israel, July 8-13, 2020)

Increase/keep at current level
66%
Decrease
17%

Agree or Disagree: The $3 billion the United States gives Israel a year in foreign aid is a good investment to help Israel defend itself and to help the US fight terrorism. (The Israel Project National Survey, March 2008)

Agree
67%
Disagree
29%

Thinking about the financial aid the United States provides Israel for economic purposes, do you think U.S. economic aid to Israel should be: (Gallup wording, ADL=Anti-Defamation League, M&K=Marttila & Kiley, CCFR=Council on Foreign Relations)

  Date Increase Same Decrease Stopped Unsure/No Opinion
ADL 1/88 15% 47% 30% % 7%
ADL 5/88 14% 42% 26% % 19%
M&K 1988 14% 39% 41% % 7%
Gallup/CCFR 11/90 8% 38% 27% 18% 9%
M&K 5/92 4% 40% 38% 15% 3%
Gallup/CCFR 10/94 9% 38% 24% 20% 9%
Gallup/CCFR 11/98 10% 42% 23% 16% 9%
Gallup 7/99 8% 45% 41% 1% (vol) 5%
Gallup 9/01 8% 55% 29% 1% (vol) 7%
CNN
8/2-3/06
10%
49%
18%
18%
5%

Thinking about the financial aid the United States provides Israel for military purposes, do you think U.S. military aid to Israel should be: (Gallup wording)

 
Date
Increase
Same
Decrease
Stopped
Unsure/No Opinion
ADL 1/88 14% 48% 32%   6%
LAT 4/88 8% 47% 34%   10%
ADL 5/88 14% 41% 36%   20%
Gallup 7/99 10% 42% 44%   4%
Gallup 9/01 16% 47% 11% 20% 6%
Pew 10/01 10% 42% 44% 44% 6%
CNN
8/2-3/06
12%
51%
13%
18%
6%

As a result of the potential war with Iraq, there is a $12 billion aid package for Israel being proposed. This is in addition to the $3 billion annual aid that Israel receives. Do you support or oppose the additional aid package for Israel?" (Council for the National Interest, Zogby poll, February 6-8, 2003 )

 

Support 29%
Oppose 57%

If the Palestinians come to terms with Israel in a peace agreement, do you think the US should equalize the amount of aid it gives to Israel and to the Palestinians, or should the US continue to give Israel more? (PIPA, May 8, 2002)

 

Equalize Aid 57%
Give Israel More 22%
Give Palestinians more than Israel (Vol.) 2%
Give Palestinians more than now (Vol.) 1%
Don't know 17%

If the Palestinians come to terms with Israel in a peace agreement, do you think the US should equalize the amount of aid it gives to Israel and to the Palestinians, or should the US continue to give Israel more? (Program on International Policy Attitudes, November 1-4, 2001)

 

Equalize Aid 61.7%
Give Israel More 23.0%
Don't know/Refused 14.9%

The United States gave $2.8 billion to Israel last year in aid. Do you think that is too much, too little or about the right amount? (Newsweek, October 4-5, 2001)

Too much 52%
Too little 3%
About the right amount 35%
Don't Know 10%

The United States gave $2.2 billion to Egypt last year in aid. Do you think that is too much, too little or about the right amount? (Newsweek, October 4-5, 2001)

Too much 55%
Too little 3%
About the right amount 30%
Don't Know 12%

The United States gave $80 million to the Palestinian Authority last year in aid. Do you think that is too much, too little or about the right amount? (Newsweek, October 4-5, 2001)

Too much 56%
Too little 11%
About the right amount 21%
Don't Know 12%

Now I'm goingto read you a list of different forms of giving foreign aid. For each one, please tell me how you feel about it on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being very bad, 10 being very good and 5 being neutral. (PIPA, Feb. 2, 2001)

0-4 39.5%
5 38.2%
6-10 13.8%
DK/Refused 7.1%

President Clinton has proposed to give the Palestinian arabs $900 million over the next five years. Should the United States insist that Yasser Arafat, head of the Palestinian Authority, first fulfill his obligations in the Oslo accords by outlawing and disarming terrorist groups and extraditing terrorists to Israel for prosecution, before additional U.S. aid is given to him? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)

Yes 78%
No 10%
DK/Refused 12%

Do you believe the United States should demand that the Palestinian Authority remove all anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements from Palestinian school books before receiving any part of president Clinton's proposed $900 million U.S. aid? (McLaughlin & Associates, Sept. 21, 1999)

Yes 76%
No 13%
DK/Refused 11%

Do you think that the United States should increase, or decrease the amount of military and economic aid it gives to Israel, or do you think it should remain about the same?

 

  Date Increase Same Decrease Unsure
CBS/NYT 4/98 3% 58% 31% 8%
ABC 9/91 6% 59% 32% 3%
CBS/NYT 1/91 19% 64% 7% 10%
CBS/NYT 6/90 8% 53% 33% 6%

In order to pressure Israel to address the problems of the Palestinians, the U.S. should: (Chicago Tribune, April [1988?])

Cut back aid 44%
Not cut back aid 37%

Should the U.S. provide any economic aid to Israel [not exact wording]? (NBC/Wall Street Journal, 9/91)

Yes No
44% 46%

Here are some countries, and for each one, please tell me if you think we SHOULD or SHOULD NOT help that country with economic aid. (NBC/Wall Street Journal, June 22-25, 1991)

  Should Help Should Not Help Depends
Poland 55% 38% 2%
Egypt 35% 53% 4%
Soviet Union 43% 49% 4%
Bangladesh 65% 33% 2%
Ethiopia 65% 28% 2%
Israel 46% 47% 3%

Loan Guarantees

Do you favor or oppose the United States providing $10 billion in loan guarantees to Israel in order for them to refinance the resettlement of Jewish immigrants from the former Soviet Union? (NBC/Wall Street Journal, 1/92)

Favor Oppose
18% 73%

Should the U.S. provide Israel with loan guarantees [not exact wording]? (NBC/Wall Street Journal)

  8/91 3/92
Unconditionally 29% 13%
If Israel halts settlements 45% 32%
Under no circumstances 11% 49%

Should the U.S. provide Israel with loan guarantees [not exact wording]? (Arab American Institute, 9/91)

Unconditionally 10%
Yes, with conditions 36%
No 43%

Position on $10 Billion Loan Guarantees (American Voters and Mideast Peace, Sept. 11, 1991)

Do not provide 43.0%
Provide with conditions 36.4%
Provide with no conditions 9.7%
Don't know 7.8%
Other 3.1%

Pollsters: ADL -- Anti-Defamation League
                 LAT -- Los Angeles Times
                 M&K -- Martilla & Kiley