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 the United States is doing too much, about the right amount, or not enough to provide military aid to Israel? (NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist, May 21-23, 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Too much | 35% |
| About the right amount | 38% |
| Not enough | 23% |
| Unsure | 4% |
Do you support or oppose the recent passage of each of the following foreign aid bills in the House of Representatives? $26 billion in aid to Israel, including $8 billion in aid to refugees in Gaza (Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll, April 24-25, 2024)
| April 2024 | |
| Support | 56% |
| Oppose | 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, 2021, February 16–18, 2024)
| 2021 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Rep | 32% | 42% | 40% |
| Ind | 52% | 51% | 52% |
| Dem | 62% | 62% | 64% |
| Total | 50% | 52% | 53% |
Do you favor or oppose the U.S. providing military aid to Israel to help in its war against Hamas? (Pew, Feb. 13-25, 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Favor | 36% |
| Neither favor nor oppose | 14% |
| Oppose | 35% |
| Not Sure/No answer | 16% |
Do you favor or oppose the U.S. providing humanitarian aid to help Palestinian civilians in Gaza? (Pew, Feb. 13-25, 2024)
| 2024 | |
| Favor | 50% |
| Neither favor nor oppose | 16% |
| Oppose | 20% |
| Not Sure/No answer | 16% |
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 think the United States is doing too much, about the right amount, or not enough to provide military aid to Israel? (Gallup, Nov. 1-21, 2023)
| 2023 | |
| Too much | 31% |
| About the right amount | 42% |
| Not enough | 25% |
| Unsure | 3% |
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 Israel [don't have a 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
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