A new nationwide poll from the Pew Research Center shows that American views of Israel and the ongoing Israel-Hamas war have shifted considerably, with a growing share of the public expressing unfavorable opinions of Israel and declining confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The survey of 3,605 US adults, conducted from March 24 to 30, was released just before Netanyahu’s April 7 visit to Washington—his second since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.
More than half of respondents (53%) now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 42% in 2022. Among Democrats, that figure rises to 69%, compared to 37% of Republicans. Younger Republicans are especially divided: half view Israel negatively, a sharp change from 2022, when nearly two-thirds viewed it favorably.
The war between Israel and Hamas has also declined in perceived importance. Just over half of Americans (54%) now say the conflict is personally important to them, down from 65% in early 2024. A similar drop was observed regarding US national interests: 66% now say the war matters for the country’s strategic priorities, compared to 75% last year.
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Confidence in Netanyahu remains low, with just 32% of Americans saying they trust him to handle world affairs. Among Jewish Americans, views are mixed: 45% express confidence, while 53% do not. The gap is wider among Muslim Americans, with 87% expressing little or no confidence in the Israeli leader.
Opinions on President Trump’s handling of Israeli-Palestinian relations are also divided. While 31% say Trump favors Israel too much, 29% believe he’s striking the right balance. Only 3% say he favors Palestinians too much.
On the issue of a two-state solution, 46% of Americans still believe peaceful coexistence is possible between Israel and an independent Palestinian state—a decline from 52% in late 2023. Democrats (56%) are more likely than Republicans (36%) to support this view.
Trump’s recent suggestion that the US take control of the Gaza Strip was met with broad disapproval. Nearly two-thirds (62%) oppose the idea, including 49% who are strongly against it. Only 15% support the proposal, with 22% uncertain.