Gallup has asked this question annually since 2001 in its World Affairs series. In February 2026 something happened that had not happened in a quarter-century: 41% of Americans said they sympathize more with the Palestinians, against 36% with the Israelis.
Where the flip comes from
- By generation: among 18 to 34s, a majority sympathizes with the Palestinians and only 23% with the Israelis, a record low. Among 35 to 54s: 46% against 28%.
- By party: Democrats flipped in 2023, independents leaned Palestinian by 11 points, and Republicans remain with Israel at 70% but down 10 points over a decade.
- Behaviorally: support for the military operation in Gaza fell to 32% in July 2025, the lowest since measurement began.
Why it matters
Official American support has not fundamentally changed yet. But foreign policy follows public opinion with roughly a one-generation lag, and the cohort holding these views today will be making decisions in fifteen to twenty-five years.