“Growing Awareness: Majority of Americans Express Opposition to Israel’s Conflict in Gaza”
A recent poll revealed that an increasing number of Americans are expressing disapproval of Israel’s actions in Gaza, particularly the nearly six-month-long military campaign in the small enclave.
According to the recent Gallup poll, there has been a notable 10 per cent rise in the disapproval of Israel’s military actions among the American public as compared to the previous poll conducted in November.
A recent study carried out from 1 to 20 March has revealed a significant change in public sentiment. Particularly noteworthy is the decline in American approval of Israel’s actions in the conflict, which has fallen from 50 per cent in November to 36 per cent in March.
Unsurprisingly, this comes as there are other signs showing a drop in US public support for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Most of the largest US cities have passed ceasefire resolutions, and around 80 US Congress members have called for a cessation in hostilities.
Broken down by the two major political parties, the majority of Republicans — 64 per cent, down from 71 per cent in November — still support Israel’s military actions, while 18 per cent of Democrats do, down from 36 per cent.
For Kobi Guillory, a Black ally who is a co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, this news of US public opinion comes as no surprise.
“For me, it’s not new information. We’ve been seeing mobilisations all over the country — tens of thousands of people mobilising in the South, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” he told The New Arab.
“People who were aware of the situation have always opposed it. I think more people are waking up as time goes on and more people are clarifying their position, where they might have been on the fence before,” he said.
The poll was taken before this week’s United Nations resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, showing that many Americans had already confirmed their position on the war prior to the international condemnation (in which the US abstained from voting).
This new research comes as Israel is reportedly preparing to enter Rafah, where around 1.5 million internally displaced Gazans are sheltering as daily shelling by the Israeli army continues.
So far, more than 33,000 Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank have been killed since the conflict broke out on 7 October, when Hamas led a surprise attack on Israeli military bases and settlements within and around the Gaza envelope, killing around 1,200.
Many have criticised Israel’s use of force as disproportionate. As the war wears on, reports of Palestinian deaths by dehydration and malnutrition are increasing. Multiple human rights groups have described Israel’s actions as genocide.
