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American Sympathy Toward Israel and the Arabs/Palestinians

(1967 - Present)

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


“In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies more with Israel or with the Palestinians?”

By Month and Year
By Decade
By Administration
Averages
The Question of Bias

Month

Year

Pollster

Israel

Palestinians/Arabs

Contextual Timeline

Feb. 25-28 2024 NYT/Sienna^ 40 24* Gaza War
Feb. 1-20 2024 Gallup 51 27*
Nov. 29-Dec. 4 2023 Wall Street Journal# 42 12*
November 15 2023 Quinnipiac 51 25*
November 6-9 2023 NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist 61 30*
Oct. 31-Nov. 2 2023 Rasmussen 59 18*
October 18 2023 Economist/Yougov*** 48 10*
October 12-16 2023 Quinnipiac 61 13*
October 7-9 2023 Fox News 68 18*
August 2023 AP/NORC** 21 9* Biden Criticizes Judicial Reform
February 2023 Gallup 54 31*  
July-Aug 2022 Jewish Institute for Liberal Values 39 21*  
February 2022 Gallup 55 26*  
May 26 2021 Quinnipiac 39 29*  
May 22-25 2021 Fox News 59 24*  
May 14-17 2021 Morning Consult/Politico 28 11* Operation Guardian of the Wall
February 2021 Gallup 58 25* Biden Takes Office
February 2020 Gallup 60 23* Trump Peace Plan / Israeli Elections
February 2019 Gallup 59 21*  
February 2018 Gallup 64 19*  
January 2018 Pew 46 16* U.S. Recognition of Jerusalem
February 2017 Gallup 62 19* Trump Inaugurated
January 2017

Pew

51

19*

May 2016

Pew

54

19*

U.S. Election Campaign
Feb. 2016

Gallup

62

15*

Feb.

2015

Gallup

62

16*

Feb.

2015

Israel Project+

53

11*

August

2014

NBC/WSJ

46

14*

Operation Protective Edge
July 2014 Pew^ 51 14*
July 2014 NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist 43 14*
July 2014 CBS 53 16*

April

2014

Pew^

53

11*

Feb.

2014

Gallup

62

18*

October

2013

ADL

48

16*

March

2013

Washington Post/ABC

55

9*

March

2013

Pew^

49

12*

Feb.

2013

Gallup

64

12*

Israeli Elections

Dec.

2012

Pew^

50

10*

U.S. Presidential Elections

Nov. 16-18

2012

CNN

59

13*

Operation Pillar of Defense

July

2012

Israel Project+

61

7*

 

Feb.

2012

Gallup

61

19*

Feb.

2012

Israel Project+

57

6*

Nov.

2011

Israel Project+

60

8*

Oct.

2011

ADL

49

18*

Shalit Exchange Deal

Oct.

2011

Quinnipiac

51

15*

June

2011

Israel Project+

56

10*

 

May

2011

Pew^

48

11*

May

2011

CNN

67

16*

April

2011

Israel Project+

51

10*

Feb.

2011

Israel Project+

50

5*

Feb.

2011

Gallup

63

17*

Egyptian Revolution - "Arab Spring"

Jan.

2011

Israel Project+

45

6*

Dec.

2010

Israel Project+

44

8*

 

Nov.

2010

Israel Project+

54

6*

Sept.

2010

Israel Project+

55

9*

June

2010

Israel Project+

56

8*

May

2010

Israel Project+

53

6*

Gaza Flotilla Incident

April

2010

Pew^

49

16*

 

April

2010

Quinnipiac

57

13*

Feb

2010

Israel Project+

57

7*

Feb

2010

Gallup

63

15*

Oct.-Nov.

2009

Pew^

51

12*

Oct.

2009

ADL

45

15*

Oct.

2009

Israel Project+

58

6*

August

2009

Israel Project+

59

8*

June

2009

Israel Project+

49

7*

Netanyahu Assumes Office

Feb.

2009

Gallup

59

18*

Operation Cast Lead

Jan.

2009

Pew^

49

11*

Jan.

2009

Israel Project+

57

8*

Jan.

2009

CNN

60

17*

Nov.

2008

Israel Project+

57

6*

2008 US Presidential Election

Sept.

2008

Israel Project+

51

7*

 

July

2008

Israel Project+

69

6*

March

2008

Israel Project+

60

8*

Feb.

2008

Gallup

59

17*

Jan.

2008

Israel Project+

62

9*

Dec.

2007

Israel Project+

61

10*

Oct.

2007

ADL

45

16*

Oct.

2007

Israel Project+

48

7*

July

2007

Israel Project+

49

5*

Hamas Takeover of Gaza

May

2007

Pew^

49

11*

April

2007

Israel Project+

65

10*

Feb.

2007

Gallup

58

20*

 

Jan.

2007

Israel Project+

50

7*

Nov.

2006

Israel Project+

54

6*

Sept.

2006

Israel Project+

53

5*

Aug.

2006

Pew^

52

11*

Second Lebanon War

Aug.

2006

Israel Project+

56

7*

July 27

2006

Israel Project+

58

6*

July 20

2006

Israel Project+

57

8*

July 16-18

2006

Israel Project+

60

7*

July 2

2006

Israel Project+

45

6*

July

2006

Pew^

44

9*

May

2006

Israel Project+

48

7*

 

Mar-May

2006

Pew^

48

13*

Feb.

2006

Gallup

59

15*

Jan.

2006

Israel Project+

45

7*

Oct.

2005

Pew^

43

17*

Oct.

2005

Israel Project+

46

10*

Aug.

2005

Israel Project+

38

8*

Disengagement from Gaza

July

2005

Pew^

37

12*

 

May

2005

Israel Project+

38

11*

March 18-25

2005

ADL

42

13*

Feb.

2005

Israel Project+

40

10*

Feb.

2005

Gallup

52

18*

Jan.

2005

Israel Project+

39

6*

Nov.

2004

Israel Project+

49

10*

Sept.

2004

Israel Project+

48

6*

July

2004

Pew^

40

13*

July

2004

Israel Project+

47

9*

March 23

2004

Israel Project+

48

8*

Assassinations of Hamas Leaders

March 17

2004

Israel Project+

52

8*

Feb.

2004

Pew^

46

12*

 

Feb.

2004

Gallup

55

18*

Jan.

2004

Israel Project+

52

10*

Dec

2003

ADL

40

15*

Nov

2003

Israel Project+

47

11*

Aug

2003

Israel Project+

42

6*

July 2003 Pew 41 13

July

2003

Israel Project+

48

10*

May 29

2003

Israel Project+

42

8*

May 8

2003

Israel Project+

46

7*

May

2003

Gallup

46

16*

March 2003 ABC/WP 55 9*

Feb.

2003

Gallup

58

13*

Sept.

2002

Gallup

47

14*

June 2002 Pew 46 12*

June

2002

Gallup

49

14*

May

2002

Gallup

49

15*

Operation Defensive Shield

April 22-24

2002

Gallup

47

13*

April 21

2002

ABC/Washington Post

49

14*

April 7

2002

ABC/Washington Post

41

9*

April

2002

Pew^

41

13*

April

2002

Gallup

50

15*

March

2002

Gallup

43

14*

Feb.

2002

Gallup

55

14*

 

Dec.

2001

Gallup

51

14*

Dec.

2001

Quinnipiac

51

13*

Sept.

2001

Gallup

55

7*

Aug

2001

Gallup

41

13*

Feb.

2001

Gallup

50

13*

Oct.

2001

ABC/Washington Post

52

14*

Palestinian War - Al-Aqsa Intifada

Oct.

2001

Pew^

47

10*

Sept.

2001

Pew^

40

17*

Oct.

2000

Gallup

41

11*

 

July

2000

Gallup

41

12*

Withdrawal from Lebanon

Jan.

2000

Gallup

43

13*

 

July

1999

Gallup

43

14*

Dec.

1998

Gallup

46

13*

April

1998

New York Times/CBS

58

13*

Sept.

1997

Pew^

48

13*

April

1997

New York Times/CBS

48

13*

Aug.

1997

Gallup

38

8*

Nov.

1996

Gallup

38

15*

Oslo Accords

Sept.

1993

Pew^

45

21*

Sept.

1993

Gallup

42

15*

March

1991

New York Times/CBS

49

20

 

Sept.

1991

ABC/Washington Post

57

20

March

1991

Gallup

60

17*

Jan.

1991

Gallup

64

7

--

1990

Chicago CFR

34

14

Dec.

1990

Marttila & Kiley

48

20

Oct.

1990

Gallup

48

23*

June

1990

New York Times/CBS

40

19

May

1990

AJC (Roper)

39

9

May

1990

Roper

34

15*

Mar.

1990

Harris

52

18

Sept.

1989

Marttila & Kiley

53

14

Sept.

1989

Marttila & Kiley

42

30*

Aug.

1989

Gallup

50

14*

June

1989

Roper

36

13

Apr.

1989

Washington Post/ABC

69

16

Apr.

1989

Roper

34

14*

Feb. 1989 Roper 33 12  

Dec.

1988

Gallup

46

24*

First Intifada

May

1988

ADL

44

13

May

1988

Gallup

37

15*

Apr.

1988

AJC

61

13

 

Apr.

1988

AJC

55

23*

Apr.

1988

Los Angeles Times

51

12

Apr.

1988

Los Angeles Times

37

25*

Apr.

1988

Chicago Tribune

42

27*

Apr.

1988

Roper

37

11

Feb. 1988 Roper 30 13

Jan.

1988

Penn & Schoen

47

14

Apr.

1987

AJC

50

14*

Feb.

1987

Roper

48

8

Feb.

1987

Harris

58

8

June 23

1986

Washington Post/ABC

62

13

June

1986

Roper

53

8

May

1986

Gallup

43

20*

Oct.

1985

Harris

64

14

Aug. 1985 Roper 37 8

Apr.

1985

Roper

42

10

July

1985

Washington Post/ABC

49

11

First Lebanon War

 

 

 

 

 

 


Sabra & Shatila Massacres

 

 

 

 

 

Mar.

1984

Roper

39

8

Jan.

1984

Roper

44

8

Sept.

1983

Washington Post/ABC

49

13

July

1983

Roper

37

9

Mar.

1983

Gallup

49

12

Feb.-Mar.

1983

Washington Post/ABC

52

16

Jan.

1983

Gallup

49

12

Jan.

1983

Washington Post/ABC

47

17

--

1982

Chicago CFR

40

17

Oct.

1982

Roper

38

15

Oct.

1982

Gallup

40

17*

Sep. 26

1982

Washington Post/ABC

48

27

Sep.

1982

Roper

40

12

Sep.

1982

Gallup

32

28

Aug.

1982

Gallup

41

12

Aug.

1982

Washington Post/ABC

52

18

Jul.

1982

Los Angeles Times

48

17

Jul.

1982

Gallup

52

10

June 11-14

1982

Gallup

52

10

June

1982

Roper

39

9

May

1982

Gallup

51

12

Mar.

1982

Washington Post/ABC

55

18

Jan.

1982

Gallup

49

14

Nov.

1981

Gallup

49

12

Aug.

1981

Harris

47

15*

July-Aug.

1981

Gallup

44

11

July

1981

Roper

35

10

Raid on Iraqi Nuclear Reactor

Oct.

1980

Gallup

45

13

 

July

1980

Harris

52

12

July

1980

Harris

47

14*

Mar.

1980

Roper

37

10

Nov.

1979

Gallup

40

14

Mar.

1979

Gallup

34

11

Jan. 5-8

1979

Gallup

40

14

Dec.

1979

Yankelovich

49

6

Dec.

1979

Yankelovich

49

15*

Oct.

1979

Los Angeles Times

49

11

Apr.

1979

Yankelovich

47

11

Mar.

1979

Roper

36

9

--

1978

Chicago CFR

45

14

Nov.

1978

Gallup

41

13*

Aug. 4-7

1978

Gallup

42

11

May

1978

Roper

35

9

Mar. 3-6

1978

Gallup

38

11

Jan.

1978

Roper

37

11

Jan.

1977

Roper

47

6

Dec.

1977

Gallup

37

8

Oct. 14-17

1977

Gallup

46

11

June 3-6

1977

Gallup

44

8

Mar.

1977

Roper

43

5

Jan.

1976

Harris

52

6

Jan.

1976

Harris

40

10*

Jan.

1976

Yankelovich

56

9

Apr. 4-7

1975

Gallup

37

8

Apr.

1975

Roper

43

7

Jan.

1975

Gallup

44

8

Jan.

1975

Harris

33

14*

Oct.

1974

Yankelovich

55

9

Jan.

1974

Gallup

38

6

Dec.

1973

Gallup

50

7

Dec.7-10

1973

Gallup

54

8

Dec. 4

1973

Gallup

48

7

Nov.

1973

Roper

48

7

Oct.

1973

Harris

39

4

Yom Kippur War

Oct. 19-22

1973

Gallup

48

6

Oct. 16

1973

Gallup

44

5

Oct. 5-8

1973

Gallup

47

6

Oct. 2-7

1973

Gallup

38

3

July

1971

Harris

44

7

 

June

1971

Harris

46

7

Oct.

1970

Harris

47

6

War of Attrition

Aug.

1970

Harris

47

6

March

1970

Gallup

38

3

Feb.

1970

Gallup

44

3

Feb.

1969

Gallup

41

4

Jan. 23-28

1969

Gallup

44

5

Jan.

1969

Gallup

50

5

 

June

1967

Gallup

56

4

Six Day War

June

1967

Harris

41

1

June 2-7

1967

Gallup

38

3

 
Average (1967-2024) - 272 polls

48.46

12.38

Ratio 3.92

*Palestinian Arabs - otherwise question used just the word "Arabs"
**Also, 29% said both equally, and 37% said neither.
***23% said about equal
#33% said both the same
^15% volunteered both the same/neither

+Slight wording difference: “Thinking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, pleae tell me wether, in general, you consider yourself: A strong supporter of Israel; A supporter of Israel; A supporter of the Palestinians; A strong supporter of the Palestinians.”

^Slight wording difference: "In the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, which side do you sympathize with more, Israel or the Palestinians?"

By Decade

 

Number of Polls

Israel

Arabs/Palestinians

Ratio

1960s

6

45.00

3.67

12.27

1970s

44

43.57

8.25

5.28

1980s

56

46.59

14.48

3.22

1990s

20

46.55

15.30

3.04

2000-2010

93

49.97

10.86

4.60

2011-2020

36

54.78

13.92

3.94
2021- 17 49.06 20.76 2.36

By Administration

 

Number of Polls

Israel

Arabs/Palestinians

Ratio

Johnson

5

45.80

3.60

12.72

Nixon/Ford

26

44.58

6.50

6.86

Carter

23

42.61

10.74

3.97

Reagan

46

46.61

14.37

3.24

Bush

17

42.29

9.73

4.35

Clinton

12

44.25

13.42

3.30

George W. Bush

75

49.51

10.91

4.54

Barack Obama

45

54.29

12.02

4.52
Donald Trump 6 56.33 19.00 2.96
Joe Biden 17 49.06 20.76

2.36

 

Average for 170 polls vs. Palestinians (as opposed to Arabs)

49.92

13.38

3.73
       

Pre-Disengagement

45.24

11.95

3.78

Post-Disengagement (9/2005)

53.36

13.16 4.05

Post-Oslo (9/93)

50.80

12.75

3.98
       
Record High Support for Israel: 69% (Israel Project, July 2008; ABC/WP, April 3, 1989)
Record High Support for Palestinians: 31% (Gallup, February 2023)
 
Record Low Support for Israel: 28% (Politico, May 2021 - Gaza War) [not counting 21% in AP/NORC 2023 poll - see **]
Record Low Support for Palestinians: 5% (Israel Project, Sept. 2006, June 2007, Feb. 2011)

The Question of Bias

Gallup found that Americans respond differently to the sympathy question depending on whether they were asked to rate Israel and the Palestinian Authority immediately before they were asked the sympathies question. When the sympathy question is asked after rating countries on a favorability scale, sympathy toward Israel is higher but has little impact on attitudes toward the Palestinians. Jeffrey Jones noted that it was not possible to determine whether “the percentage of Americans who are sympathetic toward Israel is closer to 50% (as it is when not preceded by country ratings) or 60% (as when preceded by country ratings).” In both cases, he notes, “many more Americans sympathize with the Israelis than the Palestinians.”

One explanation for the difference in results in Pew surveys is that they do not ask questions in the same context or with similar questions rating countries.

While the order of questions makes a difference, Jones said, “Gallup largely maintains the same questions in the same order, year after year. Even if there is a known context effect, as on the Middle East sympathies, maintaining a similar context helps researchers be more confident that any changes they see over time are likely due to real attitude change as opposed to context effects or other types of survey bias.”


Sources: Polling and news organizations.
Jeffrey Jones, “Survey Context Effects on Middle East Sympathies,” Gallup, (March 28, 2019).
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Daniel Shapiro, “How Not to Measure Americans’ Support for Israel,” The Atlantic, (January 26, 2018).
Laura E. Adkins, “(Almost) Everything You Knew About The Polls And Israel Is Wrong,” Forward, (April 29, 2018).
Lydia Saad, “Democrats’ Sympathies in Middle East Shift to Palestinians,” Gallup, (March 16, 2023).