Sea Change: 'Very Unfavorable' Views of Israel Triple Among US Adults

Israel's reputation among Americans has significantly worsened, with 60% now holding unfavorable views, an 18-point increase since 2022. The number of Americans with a very unfavorable view of Israel has tripled. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also faces declining trust, with 59% of US adults having little or no confidence in him. A Pew Research survey conducted in late March reflected these trends, occurring during the US and Israeli war on Iran. Significant partisan divides exist, with 80% of Democrats viewing Israel unfavorably compared to 41% of Republicans. Notably, a majority of Republicans under 50 now hold negative views of Israel, potentially shifting the GOP's traditional pro-Israel stance. Republicans are divided on Netanyahu's trustworthiness. Religious affiliations also show differing perspectives, with White Evangelical Protestants most favorable and the unaffiliated least favorable towards Israel. Confidence in Donald Trump's handling of the US-Israel relationship is low overall, but sharply divided by party and age within the GOP. Democrats have very low confidence in Trump on this issue, while most Republicans do. Younger Republicans express less confidence in Trump's decision-making regarding Israel than older Republicans. The article suggests Israel's actions in Gaza and doubts about the rationale for war with Iran likely contribute to these negative perceptions.