The shift marks a stunning break with decades of bipartisan consensus and comes as growing numbers of Americans voice outrage at Israel’s conduct in the war on Gaza.
The paper and Siena University carried out the new poll, and the results were published on Thursday.
“Disapproval of the war appears to have prompted a striking reassessment by American voters of their broader sympathies in the decades-old conflict in the region, with slightly more voters siding with Palestinians over Israelis”, the Times said.
When the war began on 7 October 2023, “American voters broadly sympathised with Israelis over Palestinians, with 47 percent siding with Israel and 20 percent with Palestinians”, according to the Times/Siena survey.
In the new poll, 34 percent said they sided with Israel and 35 percent with the Palestinians. Thirty-one percent said they were unsure or backed both equally.
A majority of American voters “oppose sending additional economic and military aid to Israel”, a stunning reversal in public opinion since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza.
About six out of 10 voters said that Israel should end its war, even if the remaining Israeli captives were not released or Hamas was not eliminated, said the Times.
The most damning statistic reveals the depth of distrust: 40 percent of American voters believe Israel is intentionally killing civilians in Gaza, doubling the number who held this view in 2023.
Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign aid since its founding in 1948, receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in support.
The new survey hints that “younger voters, regardless of party, were less likely to back continuing that support”. Nearly seven in 10 voters under 30 said they opposed additional economic or military aid.
This unprecedented shift is a direct reflection of the unparalleled crimes committed against the Palestinian people.
Since the war began in October 2023, the scale of destruction and slaughter has been unfathomable. According to the latest figures, Israel’s relentless assault has claimed the lives of at least 66,100 people and wounded over 168,162 in Gaza, with thousands more buried beneath the rubble of destroyed neighbourhoods. This devastation, which targets hospitals, schools, and essential infrastructure, has rightfully provoked a global response.
The international community has increasingly isolated Tel Aviv, condemning the atrocities. Global outrage, including massive street protests across European capitals, has placed immense pressure on Western governments.
This moral tide has translated into diplomatic action: the State of Palestine is now formally recognised by 157 of the 193 United Nations member states, marking a significant victory against the occupation.
The erosion of support has been sharpest among Democrats.
Nearly two years ago, Democrats were evenly divided, with 34 percent sympathising with Israel and 31 percent with Palestinians. Now, rank-and-file Democrats across the country overwhelmingly side with Palestinians, 54 percent said they sympathised more with Palestinians, while only 13 percent expressed greater empathy for Israel, the survey found.
“Eight in 10 Democrats said Israel should stop the war even if the country had not achieved its goals, a notable increase from the roughly 60 percent who said the same two years ago”.
Nearly six in 10 Democrats believe Israel is intentionally killing civilians, double the share who said the same in 2023, the Times added.
Austin Mugleston, a Democrat from Blackfoot, Idaho, said his views on US support for Israel had weakened as the conflict dragged on.
Shannon Carey, 39, a Democrat from a suburb of Hartford, Conn., said the Israeli government’s response to the initial 7 October attacks had become “unreasonable.” She said she would like the United States to stop supplying Israel with military and financial support because it was funding a “humanitarian crisis.”
“As a mother, seeing those children is horrifying,” Ms Carey, a physician assistant, said. “This isn’t a war. It’s a genocide.
This public condemnation stands in stark contrast to the massive and unconditional support provided by Washington. The US continues to supply Israel with billions in annual military aid, including $3.8 billion under existing agreements, supplemented by emergency packages totalling billions more for advanced weaponry like F-35 fighter jets and precision-guided munitions. Diplomatically, the US has acted as Israel’s shield at the United Nations, using its Security Council veto six times to block resolutions that demand a halt to the Israeli aggression.
Republicans remain broadly supportive of Israel, but even within the party, backing has slipped. Sixty-four percent still sympathise with Israel compared with 9 percent with Palestinians, but that represents a 12-point drop from 2023. A third of Republicans now say Israel is not doing enough to avoid civilian deaths.
Trump, who continues to tie himself closely to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, retains the loyalty of Republican voters on the issue. Yet even among Trump supporters, doubts are growing. “He needs to back off a little bit because the Israelis are capable of pulling off some pretty crazy stuff,” said Mason Northrup, 29, from St. Louis. “We should let them fight their own war.”
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