American Sympathy Toward Israel and the Arabs/Palestinians

“In the Middle East situation, are your sympathies more with Israel or with the Palestinians?”

By Month and Year
By Decade
By Administration
Averages
The Question of Bias

Month	Year	Pollster	Israel	Palestinians/Arabs	Contextual Timeline
May 22-25	2021	Fox News	59	24*
May 14-17	2021	Morning Consult/Politico	28	11*	Operation Guardian of the Wall
February	2021	Gallup	58	25*	Biden Takes Office
February	2020	Gallup	60	23*	Trump Peace Plan / Israeli Elections
February	2019	Gallup	59	21*
February	2018	Gallup	64	19*
January	2018	Pew	46	16*	U.S. Recognition of Jerusalem
February	2017	Gallup	62	19*	Trump Inaugurated
January	2017	Pew	51	19*	Trump Inaugurated
May	2016	Pew	54	19*	U.S. Election Campaign
Feb.	2016	Gallup	62	15*	U.S. Election Campaign
Feb.	2015	Gallup	62	16*
Feb.	2015	Israel Project+	53	11*
August	2014	NBC/WSJ	46	14*	Operation Protective Edge
July	2014	Pew^	51	14*
July	2014	CBS	53	16*
April	2014	Pew^	53	11*
Feb.	2014	Gallup	62	18*
October	2013	ADL	48	16*
March	2013	Washington Post/ABC	55	9*
March	2013	Pew^	49	12*
Feb.	2013	Gallup	64	12*	Israeli Elections
Dec.	2012	Pew^	50	10*	U.S. Presidential Elections
Nov. 16-18	2012	CNN	59	13*	Operation Pillar of Defense
July	2012	Israel Project+	61	7*
Feb.	2012	Gallup	61	19*
Feb.	2012	Israel Project+	57	6*
Nov.	2011	Israel Project+	60	8*
Oct.	2011	ADL	49	18*	Shalit Exchange Deal
Oct.	2011	Quinnipiac	51	15*	Shalit Exchange Deal
June	2011	Israel Project+	56	10*
May	2011	Pew^	48	11*
May	2011	CNN	67	16*
April	2011	Israel Project+	51	10*
Feb.	2011	Israel Project+	50	5*
Feb.	2011	Gallup	63	17*	Egyptian Revolution - "Arab Spring"
Jan.	2011	Israel Project+	45	6*	Egyptian Revolution - "Arab Spring"
Dec.	2010	Israel Project+	44	8*
Nov.	2010	Israel Project+	54	6*
Sept.	2010	Israel Project+	55	9*
June	2010	Israel Project+	56	8*
May	2010	Israel Project+	53	6*	Gaza Flotilla Incident
April	2010	Pew^	49	16*
April	2010	Quinnipiac	57	13*
Feb	2010	Israel Project+	57	7*
Feb	2010	Gallup	63	15*
Oct.-Nov.	2009	Pew^	51	12*
Oct.	2009	ADL	45	15*
Oct.	2009	Israel Project+	58	6*
August	2009	Israel Project+	59	8*
June	2009	Israel Project+	49	7*	Netanyahu Assumes Office
Feb.	2009	Gallup	59	18*	Operation Cast Lead
Jan.	2009	Pew^	49	11*
Jan.	2009	Israel Project+	57	8*
Jan.	2009	CNN	60	17*
Nov.	2008	Israel Project+	57	6*	2008 US Presidential Election
Sept.	2008	Israel Project+	51	7*
July	2008	Israel Project+	69	6*
March	2008	Israel Project+	60	8*
Feb.	2008	Gallup	59	17*
Jan.	2008	Israel Project+	62	9*
Dec.	2007	Israel Project+	61	10*
Oct.	2007	ADL	45	16*
Oct.	2007	Israel Project+	48	7*
July	2007	Israel Project+	49	5*	Hamas Takeover of Gaza
May	2007	Pew^	49	11*
April	2007	Israel Project+	65	10*
Feb.	2007	Gallup	58	20*
Jan.	2007	Israel Project+	50	7*
Nov.	2006	Israel Project+	54	6*
Sept.	2006	Israel Project+	53	5*
Aug.	2006	Pew^	52	11*	Second Lebanon War
Aug.	2006	Israel Project+	56	7*
July 27	2006	Israel Project+	58	6*
July 20	2006	Israel Project+	57	8*
July 16-18	2006	Israel Project+	60	7*
July 2	2006	Israel Project+	45	6*
July	2006	Pew^	44	9*
May	2006	Israel Project+	48	7*
Mar-May	2006	Pew^	48	13*
Feb.	2006	Gallup	59	15*
Jan.	2006	Israel Project+	45	7*
Oct.	2005	Pew^	43	17*
Oct.	2005	Israel Project+	46	10*
Aug.	2005	Israel Project+	38	8*	Disengagement from Gaza
July	2005	Pew^	37	12*
May	2005	Israel Project+	38	11*
March 18-25	2005	ADL	42	13*
Feb.	2005	Israel Project+	40	10*
Feb.	2005	Gallup	52	18*
Jan.	2005	Israel Project+	39	6*
Nov.	2004	Israel Project+	49	10*
Sept.	2004	Israel Project+	48	6*
July	2004	Pew^	40	13*
July	2004	Israel Project+	47	9*
March 23	2004	Israel Project+	48	8*	Assassinations of Hamas Leaders
March 17	2004	Israel Project+	52	8*	Assassinations of Hamas Leaders
Feb.	2004	Pew^	46	12*
Feb.	2004	Gallup	55	18*
Jan.	2004	Israel Project+	52	10*
Dec	2003	ADL	40	15*
Nov	2003	Israel Project+	47	11*
Aug	2003	Israel Project+	42	6*
July	2003	Pew	41	13
July	2003	Israel Project+	48	10*
May 29	2003	Israel Project+	42	8*
May 8	2003	Israel Project+	46	7*
May	2003	Gallup	46	16*
March	2003	ABC/WP	55	9*
Feb.	2003	Gallup	58	13*
Sept.	2002	Gallup	47	14*
June	2002	Pew	46	12*
June	2002	Gallup	49	14*
May	2002	Gallup	49	15*	Operation Defensive Shield
April 22-24	2002	Gallup	47	13*
April 21	2002	ABC/Washington Post	49	14*
April 7	2002	ABC/Washington Post	41	9*
April	2002	Pew^	41	13*
April	2002	Gallup	50	15*
March	2002	Gallup	43	14*
Feb.	2002	Gallup	55	14*
Dec.	2001	Gallup	51	14*
Dec.	2001	Quinnipiac	51	13*
Sept.	2001	Gallup	55	7*
Aug	2001	Gallup	41	13*
Feb.	2001	Gallup	50	13*
Oct.	2001	ABC/Washington Post	52	14*	Start of Palestinian War
Oct.	2001	Pew^	47	10*
Sept.	2001	Pew^	40	17*
Oct.	2000	Gallup	41	11*
July	2000	Gallup	41	12*	Withdrawal from Lebanon
Jan.	2000	Gallup	43	13*
July	1999	Gallup	43	14*
Dec.	1998	Gallup	46	13*
April	1998	New York Times/CBS	58	13*
Sept.	1997	Pew^	48	13*
April	1997	New York Times/CBS	48	13*
Aug.	1997	Gallup	38	8*
Nov.	1996	Gallup	38	15*	Signing of Oslo Accords
Sept.	1993	Pew^	45	21*
Sept.	1993	Gallup	42	15*
March	1991	New York Times/CBS	49	20
Sept.	1991	ABC/Washington Post	57	20
March	1991	Gallup	60	17*
Jan.	1991	Gallup	64	7
--	1990	Chicago CFR	34	14
Dec.	1990	Marttila & Kiley	48	20
Oct.	1990	Gallup	48	23*
June	1990	New York Times/CBS	40	19
May	1990	AJC (Roper)	39	9
May	1990	Roper	34	15*
Mar.	1990	Harris	52	18
Sept.	1989	Marttila & Kiley	53	14
Sept.	1989	Marttila & Kiley	42	30*
Aug.	1989	Gallup	50	14*
June	1989	Roper	36	13
Apr.	1989	Washington Post/ABC	69	16
Apr.	1989	Roper	34	14*
Feb.	1989	Roper	33	12
Dec.	1988	Gallup	46	24*	Start of First Intifada
May	1988	ADL	44	13
May	1988	Gallup	37	15*
Apr.	1988	AJC	61	13
Apr.	1988	AJC	55	23*
Apr.	1988	Los Angeles Times	51	12
Apr.	1988	Los Angeles Times	37	25*
Apr.	1988	Chicago Tribune	42	27*
Apr.	1988	Roper	37	11
Feb.	1988	Roper	30	13
Jan.	1988	Penn & Schoen	47	14
Apr.	1987	AJC	50	14*
Feb.	1987	Roper	48	8
Feb.	1987	Harris	58	8
June 23	1986	Washington Post/ABC	62	13
June	1986	Roper	53	8
May	1986	Gallup	43	20*
Oct.	1985	Harris	64	14
Aug.	1985	Roper	37	8
Apr.	1985	Roper	42	10
July	1985	Washington Post/ABC	49	11	First Lebanon War Sabra & Shatila Massacres
Mar.	1984	Roper	39	8
Jan.	1984	Roper	44	8
Sept.	1983	Washington Post/ABC	49	13
July	1983	Roper	37	9
Mar.	1983	Gallup	49	12
Feb.-Mar.	1983	Washington Post/ABC	52	16
Jan.	1983	Gallup	49	12
Jan.	1983	Washington Post/ABC	47	17
--	1982	Chicago CFR	40	17
Oct.	1982	Roper	38	15
Oct.	1982	Gallup	40	17*
Sep. 26	1982	Washington Post/ABC	48	27
Sep.	1982	Roper	40	12
Sep.	1982	Gallup	32	28
Aug.	1982	Gallup	41	12
Aug.	1982	Washington Post/ABC	52	18
Jul.	1982	Los Angeles Times	48	17
Jul.	1982	Gallup	52	10
June 11-14	1982	Gallup	52	10
June	1982	Roper	39	9
May	1982	Gallup	51	12
Mar.	1982	Washington Post/ABC	55	18
Jan.	1982	Gallup	49	14
Nov.	1981	Gallup	49	12
Aug.	1981	Harris	47	15*
July-Aug.	1981	Gallup	44	11
July	1981	Roper	35	10	Raid on Iraqi Nuclear Reactor
Oct.	1980	Gallup	45	13
July	1980	Harris	52	12
July	1980	Harris	47	14*
Mar.	1980	Roper	37	10
Nov.	1979	Gallup	40	14
Mar.	1979	Gallup	34	11
Jan. 5-8	1979	Gallup	40	14
Dec.	1979	Yankelovich	49	6
Dec.	1979	Yankelovich	49	15*
Oct.	1979	Los Angeles Times	49	11
Apr.	1979	Yankelovich	47	11
Mar.	1979	Roper	36	9
--	1978	Chicago CFR	45	14
Nov.	1978	Gallup	41	13*
Aug. 4-7	1978	Gallup	42	11
May	1978	Roper	35	9
Mar. 3-6	1978	Gallup	38	11
Jan.	1978	Roper	37	11
Jan.	1977	Roper	47	6
Dec.	1977	Gallup	37	8
Oct. 14-17	1977	Gallup	46	11
June 3-6	1977	Gallup	44	8
Mar.	1977	Roper	43	5
Jan.	1976	Harris	52	6
Jan.	1976	Harris	40	10*
Jan.	1976	Yankelovich	56	9
Apr. 4-7	1975	Gallup	37	8
Apr.	1975	Roper	43	7
Jan.	1975	Gallup	44	8
Jan.	1975	Harris	33	14*
Oct.	1974	Yankelovich	55	9
Jan.	1974	Gallup	38	6
Dec.	1973	Gallup	50	7
Dec.7-10	1973	Gallup	54	8
Dec. 4	1973	Gallup	48	7
Nov.	1973	Roper	48	7
Oct.	1973	Harris	39	4	Yom Kippur War
Oct. 19-22	1973	Gallup	48	6
Oct. 16	1973	Gallup	44	5
Oct. 5-8	1973	Gallup	47	6
Oct. 2-7	1973	Gallup	38	3
July	1971	Harris	44	7
June	1971	Harris	46	7
Oct.	1970	Harris	47	6	War of Attrition
Aug.	1970	Harris	47	6
March	1970	Gallup	38	3
Feb.	1970	Gallup	44	3
Feb.	1969	Gallup	41	4
Jan. 23-28	1969	Gallup	44	5
Jan.	1969	Gallup	50	5
June	1967	Gallup	56	4	Six Day War
June	1967	Harris	41	1
June 2-7	1967	Gallup	38	3

Average (1967-2021) - 257 polls			48.44	11.90	Ratio 4.07

*Palestinian Arabs - otherwise question used just the word "Arabs"1

+Slight wording difference: “Thinking about the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Middle East, pleae tell me wether, in general, you consider yourself: A strong supporter of Israel; A supporter of Israel; A supporter of the Palestinians; A strong supporter of the Palestinians.”

^Slight wording difference: "In the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, which side do you sympathize with more, Israel or the Palestinians?"

By Decade

	Number of Polls	Israel	Arabs/Palestinians	Ratio
1960s	6	45.00	3.67	12.27
1970s	44	43.57	8.25	5.28
1980s	56	46.59	14.48	3.22
1990s	20	46.55	15.30	3.04
2000-2010	93	49.97	10.86	4.60
2011-2020	35	55.11	13.91	3.96
2021-	3	48.33	20.00	2.42

By Administration

	Number of Polls	Israel	Arabs/Palestinians	Ratio
Johnson	5	45.80	3.60	12.72
Nixon/Ford	26	44.58	6.50	6.86
Carter	23	42.61	10.74	3.97
Reagan	46	46.61	14.37	3.24
Bush	17	42.29	9.73	4.35
Clinton	12	44.25	13.42	3.30
George W. Bush	75	49.51	10.91	4.54
Barack Obama	44	54.55	11.98	4.55
Donald Trump	6	56.33	19.00	2.96
Joe Biden	3	48.33	20.00	2.42

Average for 155 polls vs. Palestinians (as opposed to Arabs)	50.03	12.69	3.94

Pre-Disengagement	45.24	11.95	3.78
Post-Disengagement (9/2005)	54.16	11.87	4.56
Post-Oslo (9/93)	51.01	11.91	4.28

Record High Support for Israel: 69% (Israel Project, July 2008; ABC/WP, April 3, 1989)
Record High Support for Palestinians: 30% (Marttila & Kiley, Sept. 1989

Record Low Support for Israel: 28% (Politico, May 2021 - Gaza War)
Record Low Support for Palestinians: 5% (Israel Project, Sept. 2006, June 2007, Feb. 2011)

The Question of Bias

Gallup found that Americans respond differently to the sympathy question depending on whether they were asked to rate Israel and the Palestinian Authority immediately before they were asked the sympathies question. When the sympathy question is asked after rating countries on a favorability scale, sympathy toward Israel is higher but has little impact on attitudes toward the Palestinians. Jeffrey Jones noted that it was not possible to determine whether “the percentage of Americans who are sympathetic toward Israel is closer to 50% (as it is when not preceded by country ratings) or 60% (as when preceded by country ratings).” In both cases, he notes, “many more Americans sympathize with the Israelis than the Palestinians.”

One explanation for the difference in results in Pew surveys is that they do not ask the question in the same context or with a similar question rating countries.

While the order of questions makes a difference, Jones said, “Gallup largely maintains the same questions in the same order, year after year. Even if there is a known context effect, as on the Middle East sympathies, maintaining a similar context helps researchers be more confident that any changes they see over time are likely due to real attitude change as opposed to context effects or other types of survey bias.”

Sources: Polling and news organizations.
Jeffrey Jones, “Survey Context Effects on Middle East Sympathies,” Gallup, (March 28, 2019).
Tamara Cofman Wittes and Daniel Shapiro, “How Not to Measure Americans’ Support for Israel,” The Atlantic, (January 26, 2018).
Laura E. Adkins, “(Almost) Everything You Knew About The Polls And Israel Is Wrong,” Forward, (April 29, 2018).