Do Americans side with Israelis or Palestinians? New poll breaks 27-year record

U.S. public opinion toward Israel is undergoing a major shift.

For the first time in decades, a larger share of Americans say they sympathize more with Palestinians than with Israelis, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. Although the difference falls within the margin of error, it marks a significant departure from previous polls.

The survey also highlights widespread opposition to continued military and economic aid for Israel and a prevailing belief that Israel is failing to adequately protect civilian life in Gaza.

It sampled 1,313 registered voters Sept. 22-27, and it has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points for respondents likely to vote in November.

The poll comes nearly two years into Israel’s war in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 66,000 Palestinians, many of whom are women and children, according to health officials in the enclave.

Upwards of half a million Gaza residents are now starving amid famine conditions, in part due to Israeli restrictions on aid, according to United Nations officials. Hundreds of those seeking aid have been shot and killed near food distribution sites.

The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants invaded Israel, killing some 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 250 hostage, according to U.S. officials.

Shifting attitudes

When asked about the conflict, 35% of respondents said they sympathize more with Palestinians, while 34% said they sympathize more with Israelis. An additional 19% said they empathized with both groups equally, and 12% said they didn’t know.

The results mark the first time more Americans have sided with the Palestinians since The New York Times first asked this question 27 years ago, in 1998, underscoring a sea change in public attitudes.

By comparison, less than two years ago — in April 2024 — 42% of poll respondents said they sided with Israelis and 24% said they sided with Palestinians.

In the latest poll, a majority, 51%, also said they oppose sending “additional economic and military support to Israel,” while 39% said they support this. Four percent said they did not know.

Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid, garnering roughly $310 billion in military and economic assistance since the post-World War II period, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

A majority of respondents, 58%, also said that Israel should end its military campaign to safeguard civilian life “even if not all Israeli hostages have been released.” And 59% said the military operation should end “even if Hamas has not been fully eliminated.”

According to an August investigation by The Guardian, Israeli figures estimate that 8,900 Hamas fighters have been killed, representing roughly 17% of the total Gaza death toll. Meanwhile, the Times of Israel reports that 48 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza as of late September.

A decisive majority, 62%, said that Israeli military forces are not taking adequate precautions to prevent civilian deaths, while just 25% said they are taking appropriate measures.

And a 40% plurality said that Israel is intentionally killing civilians, up from 22% who said the same in a December 2023 survey.

In early September, three U.S. doctors who volunteered in Gaza told McClatchy News they witnessed evidence that civilians were being deliberately targeted at aid sites, noting a pattern of gunshot wounds concentrated on specific body parts. Israeli officials have rejected such claims.

Demographic breakdown

Democrats and young Americans were significantly more likely than Republicans and older generations to sympathize with Palestinians and express disapproval with Israeli actions.

A majority of Democrats, 54%, said they sympathize more with Palestinians, while 64% of Republicans said they sided more with Israelis. Meanwhile, 61% of 18-29-year-olds empathized more with Palestinians, while a 47% plurality of those 65 and older empathized more with Israelis.

Further, 81% of Democrats said that Israel is not taking enough precautions to safeguard civilian life, while 33% of GOP respondents said the same. Seventy-eight percent of 18- to 29-year-olds and 55% of those 65 and older agreed with this statement.

This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Do Americans side with Israelis or Palestinians? New poll breaks 27-year record."