New polling finds that the majority of the American public now say that they disapprove of Israel’s genocidal siege of Gaza. Approval of the assault has plummeted over the course of a few months as Israel slaughtered at least 33,000 Palestinians and continues its destruction of Gaza with impunity.
According to a Gallup survey conducted last month, 55 percent of Americans say that they disapprove of Israel’s “military action” in Gaza — up from a minority of 45 percent in a November Gallup poll.
In November, 50 percent of Americans said they approve of the siege of Gaza by Israel. Now, only 36 percent, or just over a third of Americans, say they approve.
The polling further found that support for Israel has been dropping among all political affiliations, even as it remains split along party lines. Disapproval is strongest among Democrats, with a mere 18 of Democrats approving of Israel’s siege and 75 disapproving as of March — a major shift from the 36 percent approval and 63 percent disapproval seen in November.
Democrats’ strong disapproval of the genocide is especially notable considering President Joe Biden’s staunch support and enabling of Israel’s military and represents a huge rift between the president and his base just months before the general election this fall. Other recent Gallup polling found that only 27 percent of Americans approve of Biden’s handling of Israel’s apartheid and genocide. This particular issue earned Biden his lowest rating among Democrats, whereas other issues polled garnered 47 percent approval.
Democrats and progressive voters have been demonstrating their discontent at the polls. Movements to vote “uncommitted,” leave ballots blank, and otherwise cast protest votes in the Democratic presidential primaries have swept the country, following campaigns by advocates for Palestinian rights. Though Biden has already won the presidential nomination by sheer delegate numbers, the “uncommitted” campaigns have picked up delegates in a number of crucial swing states like Michigan, showing Biden that he is risking his own presidency if he continues down this path.
Indeed, as the polling was being conducted in March, Israel was massacring thousands of Palestinians, including children, with U.S. weapons and military support, while also perpetuating the worst famine in modern times, humanitarian experts have said.
Hunger experts have warned that the entire population of Gaza, of about 2.2 million people, is either experiencing famine or will experience famine imminently — while the Biden administration continues to withhold support for the Palestinians’ primary humanitarian aid agency over questionable accusations by the Israeli government.
Perhaps contributing to the growing dissent on Palestine is the fact that many members of the public are seeing the genocide unfold in real time. Advocates against the assault have said that it is the most publicly viewed genocide of all time, with videos and footage of killings being widely shared through social media for members of the public to see over the past six months. Though U.S. officials have been pushing pro-Israel messages through the media relentlessly, the Gallup poll suggests that this messaging is failing to have its desired effect among the public, and that anti-Zionist advocates’ messages are instead breaking through.
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