Gallup Poll: American Sympathy for Palestinians Surpasses Sympathy for Israel

Washington – Said Arikat – 2/27/2026

A new poll conducted by Gallup, one of the leading public opinion research organizations in the United States, has revealed a historic shift in American attitudes towards the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Its results show that, for the first time since regular measurements began in 2001, Americans are now more inclined to sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis, an indicator reflecting a gradual and profound change in the American political and social mood.

According to the poll published on Friday, 41% of Americans said they sympathize more with Palestinians, compared to 36% who expressed greater sympathy for Israelis. Although the difference does not carry definitive statistical significance, it represents a clear turning point compared to 2025, when Israelis enjoyed a comfortable lead of 46% versus 33%.

The importance of these results lies in ending a pattern that lasted for more than two decades, during which Israelis maintained a consistent lead in sympathy rates within the United States, recording an average lead of 43 percentage points from 2001 to 2018. However, the gap began to gradually narrow since 2019, even before the outbreak of the recent Gaza war, indicating that the current shift is not the result of a single event, but rather cumulative changes in American public opinion.

A portion of Americans still maintain a neutral stance; 4% said they sympathize equally with both sides, 9% sympathize with neither, while 10% expressed no definite opinion.

After the Gaza War and the Impact of the Ceasefire

The poll comes after a year full of political and military developments, most notably the ceasefire agreement that came into effect in October 2025 through American mediation. The first phase included the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, while the current phase focuses on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and long-term security arrangements, amidst mutual accusations of truce violations.

Although wars often reinforce traditional American sympathy for Israel, the poll results suggest that the recent war may have accelerated an existing trend, rather than creating it from scratch.

Independents Lead the Political Shift

Detailed data reveals that independent voters were the decisive factor in this shift. 41% of them said they sympathize more with Palestinians compared to 30% with Israelis, a remarkable shift compared to previous years when Israel had the upper hand among them.

As for Democrats, they have solidified their shift that began in 2023, with 65% expressing greater sympathy for Palestinians compared to only 17% for Israelis, reflecting an ideological change within the party base, especially among progressive and youth currents.

In contrast, Republicans remain more supportive of Israel, with 70% expressing sympathy for Israelis compared to 13% for Palestinians. However, this percentage represents the lowest level of Republican sympathy for Israel in nearly two decades, indicating that the shift — though slower — is no longer limited to one party.

Deepening Generational Gap

One of the most prominent features of the poll is the clear age divide. The results showed that 53% of Americans between 18 and 34 years old sympathize more with Palestinians, the first time this position has formed a majority within this age group. In contrast, only 23% of young people expressed greater sympathy for Israelis, the lowest level ever recorded.

The 35-54 age group also witnessed a significant shift, with 46% saying they lean towards Palestinians compared to 28% for Israelis, after the equation was almost the opposite just one year ago.

As for older Americans, Israelis still maintain a lead among them with 49% compared to 31% for Palestinians, but this represents the narrowest margin recorded since 2005, suggesting that the shift is gradually extending across generations.

Change in the Image of Both Sides

In addition to political sympathy, the poll observed a change in the general image of both sides among Americans. The positive view of Israel declined to 46%, approaching its historical lows, while the positive view of the Palestinian territories rose to 37%, the highest percentage recorded to date.

For the first time, independents' positive view of both sides was equal at 41% for each, due to a significant decline in Israel's rating since 2023 compared to a gradual improvement in the image of Palestinians.

Among Democrats, the Palestinian territories have had a more positive image than Israel since 2025, while Republicans remain more positive towards Israel despite a decline in their support over the past two years.

Continued Support for the Two-State Solution Despite Polarization

Regarding political solutions, the poll showed that 57% of Americans support the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel within the framework of a two-state solution, a percentage close to the highest level recorded by Gallup since 2003.

This option enjoys broad support among Democrats (77%) and a majority of independents (57%), while Republican support declined to 33% after sharp fluctuations since the Gaza war, reflecting the widening partisan gap on the conflict.

It is noteworthy that American support for the two-state solution far exceeds the levels of support among Israelis and Palestinians themselves according to recent international polls, highlighting the disparity between American public opinion and the political reality on the ground.

The shift in Gallup's results reflects a change in the narrative that has governed Americans' understanding of the conflict for decades. New generations no longer view the conflict exclusively from the perspective of strategic alliances or Cold War memory, but rather through concepts of justice, human rights, and inequality. With the expansion of information sources beyond traditional media, the Palestinian narrative has become more present in the American public sphere, gradually leading to a cognitive rebalancing that does not necessarily mean a decline in support for Israel as much as it means a multiplicity of perspectives.

Despite the importance of the popular shift, its immediate impact on American policy may remain limited due to the stability of institutions and strategic alliances. However, American political history shows that major shifts often begin in public opinion before reaching decision-making centers. As new generations enter the electoral process, politicians may find themselves facing voters less receptive to traditional policies and more inclined to link foreign aid to human rights standards, which may reshape American discourse towards the conflict over the next decade.