Only 52% of US adults now hold a favorable opinion of the Israeli people, according to a Pew Research Center survey released one day ago. This marks a significant decline from 67% in 2022, signaling a concerning shift in American sentiment towards the Middle East's sole functioning liberal democracy.
The survey, conducted from May 4 to May 17, 2026, found that 42% of Americans now hold an unfavorable view of Israelis. This figure represents a sharp increase from 25% in 2022, underscoring a strategic erosion of support for a key Western ally.
Views toward Palestinians remained relatively stable, with 50% holding a favorable opinion and 44% unfavorable. This contrasts sharply with the dramatic decline in favorability for Israelis, who face constant existential threats.
A clear majority of Americans, 62%, held unfavorable views of the Israeli government. However, this disapproval is dwarfed by the overwhelming 84% who expressed an unfavorable view of Hamas, the designated terror organization committed to Israel's destruction.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs in the West Bank, also garnered significant disapproval, with 69% of Americans holding an unfavorable opinion. These figures highlight the distinction Americans draw between the Jewish state and the entities opposing it.
Hamas's announcement four days ago that it will dissolve its government in Gaza, ahead of its transfer to a Palestinian technocratic committee established by US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, occurred prior to the survey's release. This move by the terror group comes amidst shifting international dynamics, but its fundamental ideology remains unchanged.
Erosion of Western Support
Opinions on Israeli and Palestinian people were sharply divided along partisan lines. 65% of Republicans maintained a favorable view of Israelis, while only 43% of Democrats shared this sentiment.
Conversely, roughly two-thirds of Democrats held a favorable view of Palestinians, compared to just one-third of Republicans. This partisan divergence reflects a deepening ideological chasm within the West regarding the conflict.
Over half of Democrats now hold an unfavorable view of Israelis, a significant increase from 31% in 2022. Even among Republicans, negative views towards Israelis rose from 17% in 2022 to 31% in 2026, indicating a broader trend.
Younger US adults, those under 30, showed a pronounced tilt, with 58% holding a favorable view of Palestinians against only 32% for Israelis. Pollsters attributed this attitude largely to young Democrats, 72% of whom viewed Palestinians positively and only 26% viewed Israelis positively. This demographic shift poses a long-term challenge to Israel's standing and the broader Western alliance.
Understanding the Threat
Within the Jewish community in the US, attitudes toward the Israeli people and government also saw a decline. Favorable views of the Israeli people fell from 89% in 2024 to 83% this year.
Favorable opinions toward the Israeli government among Jewish respondents dropped from 54% to 47% in the same period. Despite this, 58% of Jewish adults viewed the Palestinian people unfavorably, compared to 40% who viewed them favorably.
Crucially, only 10% of Jewish adults expressed a favorable view toward the Palestinian Authority, and a mere 2% held a favorable view of Hamas. These figures underscore the clear understanding within the Jewish community regarding the nature of the entities that openly deny Israel's right to exist.