 |
American Sympathy Toward Israel
and the Arabs/Palestinians
(Updated January 4, 2010)
The following are results of the most
consistently asked question regarding American public attitudes toward
the Middle East: In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies
more with Israel or with the Arab nations?
| Month |
Year |
Pollster |
Israel |
Arabs |
| June 2-7 |
1967 |
Gallup |
38 |
3 |
| June |
1967 |
Gallup |
56 |
4 |
| June |
1967 |
Harris |
41 |
1 |
| Jan. |
1969 |
Gallup |
50 |
5 |
| Jan. 23-28 |
1969 |
Gallup |
44 |
5 |
| Feb. |
1969 |
Gallup |
41 |
4 |
| Feb. |
1970 |
Gallup |
44 |
3 |
| March |
1970 |
Gallup |
38 |
3 |
| Oct. |
1970 |
Harris |
47 |
6 |
| June |
1971 |
Harris |
46 |
7 |
| July |
1971 |
Harris |
44 |
7 |
| Oct. 2-7 |
1973 |
Gallup |
38 |
3 |
| Oct. 5-8 |
1973 |
Gallup |
47 |
6 |
| Oct. 16 |
1973 |
Gallup |
44 |
5 |
| Oct. 19-22 |
1973 |
Gallup |
48 |
6 |
| Oct. |
1973 |
Harris |
39 |
4 |
| Nov. |
1973 |
Roper |
48 |
7 |
| Dec. 4 |
1973 |
Gallup |
48 |
7 |
| Dec.7-10 |
1973 |
Gallup |
54 |
8 |
| Dec. |
1973 |
Gallup |
50 |
7 |
| Jan. |
1974 |
Gallup |
38 |
6 |
| Oct. |
1974 |
Yankelovich |
55 |
9 |
| Jan. |
1975 |
Gallup |
44 |
8 |
| Jan. |
1975 |
Harris |
33 |
14* |
| Apr. |
1975 |
Gallup |
37 |
8 |
| Apr. |
1975 |
Roper |
43 |
7 |
| Jan. |
1976 |
Harris |
52 |
6 |
| Jan. |
1976 |
Harris |
40 |
10* |
| Jan. |
1976 |
Yankelovich |
56 |
9 |
| Mar. |
1977 |
Roper |
43 |
5 |
| June |
1977 |
Gallup |
44 |
8 |
| Nov. |
1977 |
Gallup |
46 |
11 |
| Dec. |
1977 |
Gallup |
37 |
8 |
| Jan. |
1977 |
Roper |
47 |
6 |
| Jan. |
1978 |
Roper |
37 |
10 |
| Mar. |
1978 |
Gallup |
44 |
11 |
| Apr. |
1978 |
Gallup |
38 |
11 |
| May |
1978 |
Roper |
35 |
9 |
| Aug. |
1978 |
Gallup |
42 |
11 |
| Nov. |
1978 |
Gallup |
41 |
13* |
| Mar. |
1979 |
Roper |
36 |
9 |
| Apr. |
1979 |
Yankelovich |
47 |
11 |
| Oct. |
1979 |
Los Angeles Times |
49 |
11 |
| Dec. |
1979 |
Yankelovich |
49 |
6 |
| Dec. |
1979 |
Yankelovich |
49 |
15* |
| Jan. |
1979 |
Gallup |
40 |
14 |
| Mar. |
1979 |
Gallup |
34 |
11 |
| Nov. |
1979 |
Gallup |
40 |
14 |
| Mar. |
1980 |
Roper |
37 |
10 |
| July |
1980 |
Harris |
52 |
12 |
| July |
1980 |
Harris |
47 |
14* |
| Oct. |
1980 |
Gallup |
45 |
13 |
| July-Aug. |
1981 |
Gallup |
44 |
11 |
| July |
1981 |
Roper |
35 |
10 |
| Aug. |
1981 |
Harris |
47 |
15* |
| Nov. |
1981 |
Gallup |
49 |
12 |
| Jan. |
1982 |
Gallup |
49 |
14 |
| Mar. |
1982 |
Washington Post/ABC |
55 |
18 |
| May |
1982 |
Gallup |
51 |
12 |
| June |
1982 |
Gallup |
52 |
10 |
| June |
1982 |
Roper |
39 |
9 |
| Jul. |
1982 |
Los Angeles Times |
48 |
17 |
| Jul. |
1982 |
Gallup |
52 |
10 |
| Aug. |
1982 |
Gallup |
41 |
12 |
| Aug. |
1982 |
Washington Post/ABC |
52 |
18 |
| Sep. |
1982 |
Roper |
40 |
12 |
| Sep. |
1982 |
Gallup |
32 |
28 |
| Oct. |
1982 |
Roper |
38 |
14 |
| Oct. |
1982 |
Gallup |
40 |
17* |
| Jan. |
1983 |
Gallup |
49 |
12 |
| Jan. |
1983 |
Washington Post/ABC |
47 |
17 |
| Feb.-Mar. |
1983 |
Washington Post/ABC |
52 |
16 |
| Mar. |
1983 |
Gallup |
49 |
12 |
| July |
1983 |
Roper |
37 |
9 |
| Jan. |
1983 |
Gallup |
49 |
12 |
| Jan. |
1984 |
Roper |
44 |
8 |
| Mar. |
1984 |
Roper |
39 |
8 |
| July |
1985 |
Washington Post/ABC |
49 |
11 |
| Oct. |
1985 |
Harris |
64 |
14 |
| Apr. |
1985 |
Roper |
42 |
10 |
| May |
1986 |
Gallup |
43 |
20* |
| June |
1986 |
Roper |
53 |
8 |
| Feb. |
1987 |
Harris |
58 |
8 |
| March |
1987 |
Roper |
48 |
8 |
| Apr. |
1987 |
AJC |
50 |
14* |
| Jan. |
1988 |
Penn & Schoen |
47 |
14 |
| 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 |
| May |
1988 |
ADL |
44 |
13 |
| May |
1988 |
Gallup |
37 |
15* |
| Dec. |
1988 |
Gallup |
46 |
24* |
| Apr. |
1989 |
Washington Post/ABC |
69 |
16 |
| Apr. |
1989 |
Roper |
34 |
14* |
| June |
1989 |
Roper |
36 |
13 |
| Aug. |
1989 |
Gallup |
50 |
14* |
| Sept. |
1989 |
Marttila & Kiley |
53 |
14 |
| Sept. |
1989 |
Marttila & Kiley |
42 |
30* |
| Mar. |
1990 |
Harris |
52 |
18 |
| May |
1990 |
AJC (Roper) |
39 |
9 |
| May |
1990 |
Roper |
34 |
15* |
| June |
1990 |
New York Times/CBS |
40 |
19 |
| Oct. |
1990 |
Gallup |
48 |
23* |
| Dec. |
1990 |
Marttila & Kiley |
48 |
20 |
| Jan. |
1991 |
Gallup |
64 |
8 |
| March |
1991 |
New York Times/CBS |
49 |
20 |
| March |
1991 |
Gallup |
60 |
17* |
| Sept. |
1993 |
Gallup |
42 |
15* |
| Nov. |
1996 |
Gallup |
38 |
15* |
| Aug. |
1997 |
Gallup |
38 |
8* |
| |
1997 |
New York Times/CBS |
48 |
13* |
| April |
1998 |
New York Times/CBS |
58 |
13* |
| Dec. |
1998 |
Gallup |
46 |
13* |
| July |
1999 |
Gallup |
43 |
14* |
| Jan. |
2000 |
Gallup |
43 |
13* |
| July |
2000 |
Gallup |
41 |
12* |
| Oct. |
2000 |
Gallup |
41 |
11* |
| Feb. |
2001 |
Gallup |
51 |
16* |
| Aug |
2001 |
Gallup |
41 |
13* |
| Sept. |
2001 |
Gallup |
55 |
7* |
| Dec. |
2001 |
Gallup |
51 |
14* |
| Feb. |
2002 |
Gallup |
55 |
14* |
| March |
2002 |
Gallup |
43 |
14* |
| April |
2002 |
Gallup |
50 |
15* |
| April 22-24 |
2002 |
Gallup |
47 |
13* |
| May |
2002 |
Gallup |
49 |
15* |
| June |
2002 |
Gallup |
49 |
14* |
| Sept. |
2002 |
Gallup |
47 |
14* |
| Feb. |
2003 |
Gallup |
58 |
13* |
| April |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
23 |
3* |
| May |
2003 |
Gallup |
46 |
16* |
| May 8 |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
46 |
7* |
| May 29 |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
42 |
8* |
| July |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
48 |
10* |
| Aug |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
42 |
6* |
| Nov |
2003 |
Israel Project+ |
47 |
11* |
| Dec |
2003 |
ADL |
40 |
15* |
| Jan. |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
52 |
10* |
| Feb. |
2004 |
Gallup |
55 |
18* |
| March 17 |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
52 |
8* |
| March 23 |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
48 |
8* |
| May |
2004 |
Pew |
46 |
12* |
| July |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
47 |
9* |
| Sept. |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
48 |
6* |
| Nov. |
2004 |
Israel Project+ |
49 |
10* |
| Jan. |
2005 |
Israel Project+ |
39 |
6* |
| Feb. |
2005 |
Israel Project+ |
40 |
10* |
| Feb. |
2005 |
Gallup |
52 |
18* |
| March 18-25 |
2005 |
ADL |
42 |
13* |
| March 18-25 |
2005 |
ADL |
44 |
9 |
| May |
2005 |
Israel Project+ |
38 |
11* |
| Aug. |
2005 |
Israel Project+ |
38 |
8* |
| Oct. |
2005 |
Israel Project+ |
46 |
10* |
| Jan. |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
45 |
7* |
| Feb. |
2006 |
Gallup |
59 |
15* |
| Mar-May |
2006 |
Pew |
48 |
13* |
| May |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
48 |
7* |
| July 2 |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
45 |
6* |
| July 16-18 |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
60 |
7* |
| July 20 |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
57 |
8* |
| July 27 |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
58 |
6* |
| Aug. |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
56 |
7* |
| Sept. |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
53 |
5* |
| Nov. |
2006 |
Israel Project+ |
54 |
6* |
| Jan. |
2007 |
Israel Project+ |
50 |
7* |
| Feb. |
2007 |
Gallup |
58 |
20* |
| April |
2007 |
Israel Project+ |
65 |
10* |
| July |
2007 |
Israel Project+ |
49 |
5* |
| Oct. |
2007 |
ADL |
45 |
16* |
| Oct. |
2007 |
Israel Project+ |
48 |
7* |
| Dec. |
2007 |
Israel Project+ |
61 |
10* |
| Jan. |
2008 |
Israel Project+ |
62 |
9* |
| Feb. |
2008 |
Gallup |
59 |
17* |
| March |
2008 |
Israel Project+ |
60 |
8* |
| July |
2008 |
Israel Project+ |
69 |
6* |
| Sept. |
2008 |
Israel Project+ |
51 |
7* |
| Nov. |
2008 |
Israel Project+ |
57 |
6* |
| Jan. |
2009 |
Pew |
49 |
11* |
| Jan. |
2009 |
Israel Project+ |
57 |
8* |
| Feb. |
2009 |
Gallup |
59 |
18* |
| June |
2009 |
Israel Project+ |
49 |
7* |
| August |
2009 |
Israel Project+ |
58 |
8* |
| Oct. |
2009 |
ADL |
45 |
15* |
| Average for 188 polls |
46.80 |
11.10 |
*Palestinian Arabs
+Question wording slightly different: Thinking about the ongoing conflict
between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, pleae tell me
wether, in general, you consider yourself to be a strong supporter of
Israel, a supporter of Israel, a supporter of the Palestinians or a
strong supporter of the Palestinians.
By Administration
| |
Number of Polls |
Israel |
Arabs/Palestinians |
| Johnson |
3 |
45.00 |
2.67 |
| Nixon/Ford |
28 |
44.75 |
6.39 |
| Carter |
23 |
42.57 |
10.57 |
| Reagan |
43 |
46.37 |
13.56 |
| Bush |
15 |
47.87 |
16.67 |
| Clinton |
10 |
43.80 |
12.70 |
| George W. Bush |
59 |
50.36 |
10.39 |
| Barack Obama |
4 |
52.75 |
12.00 |
Should the United States be more sympathetic to the
concerns of the Palestinian minority in Israel than it is now? (CBS
News/New York Times Poll, June 5-8. 1990)
| |
June 1990 |
July 1988 |
| Yes |
38 |
26 |
| No |
37 |
49 |
| DK/NA |
28 |
25 |
See also
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