More Americans say they sympathise with Palestinians than Israelis, poll finds

A new survey indicates American public opinion on the Israel-Palestine conflict may be shifting, with slightly more people saying they sympathise with Palestinians than Israelis.

According to reporting by Newsweek citing a survey by Gallup, about 41% of Americans said their sympathies lie more with Palestinians, compared with 36% who said they side more with Israelis.

With a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points, the results suggest opinion in the United States is now broadly divided.

The latest figures mark a change from a year earlier, when 46% said they sympathised more with Israelis and 33% with Palestinians. Analysts say the gap in public opinion has narrowed significantly over time.

The poll of 1,001 US adults was carried out between 2 and 16 February and also highlighted political and age differences.

Around two-thirds of Democrats said they were more concerned with Palestinians, while about seven in ten Republicans still sided with Israelis, though that support has slightly declined since 2023.

Age also played a role. Roughly half of adults aged 18 to 34 said they sympathise more with Palestinians. 

Among those aged 55 and older, nearly half still leaned towards Israelis, although support among older Americans has dropped to below half for the first time since 2005.

Benedict Vigers, a senior contributor at Gallup, said: "It’s the first time they have reached parity, which is really quite striking. In not many years, that very significant gap in public opinion has now completely closed."

The findings come after diplomatic efforts linked to the conflict, including a peace deal brokered in October 2025 by former US president Donald Trump involving the release of hostages and a partial Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

The arrangement was in force from 19 January to 18 March 2025 during the Gaza war. However, the deal collapsed on 18 March when Israel launched a sudden wave of airstrikes on Gaza, reportedly killing more than 400 Palestinians.