American Attitudes Toward Israel’s War With Hezbollah

Note: We are presenting raw data. To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Sample size, question wording, and question order can affect results and reliability. Context and timing may also influence responses, for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.

How concerned are you about each of the following? (AP/NORC, October 11-14, 2024)

Do you think the U.S. could be doing more or is doing about as much as it can to push for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah? If you think the U.S. should be doing less, you can say that too. (AP/NORC, October 11-14, 2024)

How much responsibility do you think each of the following has for the escalation of the war in the Middle East? (AP/NORC, October 11-14, 2024)

In response to Israel’s military operations in Lebanon and Gaza, do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose the United States doing each of the following? (AP/NORC, October 11-14, 2024)

Is Hezbollah a terrorist organization or not? (Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, October 11-13, 2024)

Do you support or oppose Israel’s recent strikes in Lebanon which took out the leadership of Hezbollah? (Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, October 11-13, 2024)

Should Israel continue with military actions and incursions into Lebanon to fully take out Hezbollah or should it stop for fear of provoking a regional war? (Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, October 11-13, 2024)

Do you think Israel's current military actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon are going too far, not far enough, or the right approach? (Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll, October 11-13, 2024)

The following data is based on a survey of 850 likely American voters and the margin of error is +/- 3.4 percentage points (The Israel Project August 2006)

Now, thinking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, please tell me whether, 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? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Now, regardless of which side you support in this conflict, has what you have seen, read or heard about this conflict recently given you a more favorable or less favorable impression of Israel? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

I'm going to ask you about each party and please tell me whether they are acting properly or going too far. (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

In the current conflict in the Middle East, do you think Israel is mainly damaging military targets or is it mainly hurting the civilian population? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Should Israel stop or continue its military operations against Hezbollah and in Lebanon? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Is Israel justified or unjustified in doing what it is doing with Hezbollah and in Lebanon? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Now I'm going to read you a pair of statements. Please tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views, even if neither is exactly right. (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

Israel should continue its operation until it defeats or greatly weakens Hezbollah in order to reduce threat to its own people.

OR

Israel should accept a cease fire in order to avoid worsening civilian deaths and violence.

Which statement comes closer to your view?

What do you think is more responsible for instability in the Middle East? Israel and its policies or Islamic extremism? (The Israel Project: Frequency Questionnaire, August 2-3, 2006)

"Do you believe that Israel's attacks on Lebanon have been targeted to Hezbollah strongholds and strategic areas, or have teh attack sbeen generally indiscriminate?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

"What do you think motivates the actions of Israel in Lebanon and Gaza? Protecting itself from attack OR pursuing expansionist policies into Palestinian and Arab lands?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, August 2006)

"Which countries are the main providers of support for Hezbollah's terrorist activities?" (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

"I'm going to ask you about each group and please tell me whether they are acting properly or going too far. 'Israel in dealing with Hezbollah and Lebanon". (Approximate dates. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner)

Among Israeli Arabs: (Gideon Alon, "Poll: 18% of Israeli Arabs backed Hezbollah in war," Haaretz, August 24, 2006)

Among Jewish Israelis: (Gideon Alon, "Poll: 18% of Israeli Arabs backed Hezbollah in war," Haaretz, August 24, 2006)

If the ceasfire does not hold, who will be most at fault? (Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, September 2006)

Was Israel justified in invading Lebanon in the wake of the kidnapping of two of its soldiers by Hezbollah?* (UPI/Zogby International, December 4-6, 2006)

*Not the exact question wording

Do you think the United States should play a major role or a minor role in the development of a peace agreement? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

What role do you think the U.S. should play in developing a peace agreement between Israel and Hezbollah? Do you think the U.S. should -- take the leading role, let the United Nations take the leading role but still be involved, or not get involved at all? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

As a result of the recent developments in the Middle East related to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, do you think -- [RANDOM ORDER] -- has improved or gotten worse? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

Do you think the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East -- [ROTATED: marks the beginning of a long-lasting peace between Israel and Hezbollah, (or) will only be temporary and fighting will soon break out again between Israel and Hezbollah]? (Gallup, August 18-20, 2006)

How much do you blame each of the following for the fighting and killing that has taken place in Israel and Lebanon? (Harris Interactive, August 8-17, 2006)

Do you think Israel's military reaction to the situation in the Middle East has gone too far, not gone far enough, or been about right? (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

Which of the following statements comes closer to your view of what Israel should do: (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

Do you consider __ an ally of the United States, friendly but not an ally, unfriendly towards the U.S., or an enemy of the United States? (CNN August 2-3, 2006)

Do you think the United States is doing: too much, about the right amount, or not enough to resolve this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 28-30, 2006)

Which of the following positions should the U.S. take in the current conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah group in Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 28-30, 2006)

How much attention are Americans paying to the violence in the Middle East? (Gallup Poll)

What is your perception of Israel’s current military action in Lebanon? (Gallup Poll)

In the current conflict, do you think the United States should take Israel’s side, take the side of Hezbollah, or not take either side? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

*CNN Based on what you have read or heard about the conflict in the Middle East, are your sympathies MORE with Israel or MORE with Hezbollah?

How much do you blame _____ for the current attacks in Israel and Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Degree of blame for current attacks in Israel and Lebanon? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Do you approve or disapprove of Israel’s actions in this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Do you approve or disapprove of Hezbollah’s actions in this conflict? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

How strongly do you feel about your approval or disapproval of Israel and Hezbollah? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Do you support or oppose a possible invasion of southern Lebanon by Israeli ground troops? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Concern about Events Occurring as a Result of the Current Fighting Between Israel and Hezbollah? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

How important is the development of a peaceful solution to the Arab-Israeli situation? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Do you approve or disapprove with the way President George W. Bush is handling the situation in the Middle East? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Do you believe the Bush administration has a clear and well-thought out policy on the Middle East? (Gallup Poll, July 21-23, 2006)

Should the United States play an active role in attempting to solve the Middle East Crisis between Israel and Hezbollah? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Do you support or oppose the presence of U.S. ground troops as part of an international peacekeeping force on the border between Israel and Lebanon? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

*CNN: Would you favor or oppose the presence of U.S. ground troops, along with troops from other countries, in an international peacekeeping force on the border between Israel and Lebanon?

Do you approve or disapprove of the way in which President Bush has handled the conflict? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

*CNN: Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling: :The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East

In the conflict, are your sympathies more for Israel or Hezbollah? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

What is your opinion regarding Israel’s military reaction to the situation? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Do you believe a cease-fire should be negotiated? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Are you more worried that the conflict will lead to violence and possibly a terrorist attack in the United States? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)

Do you believe the United States has done a good or poor job evacuating its citizens from Lebanon? (Opinion Research Corp., July 19, 2006)