Forty Democratic Senators have signed a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff calling on the Trump administration to increase efforts to obtain a ceasefire in Gaza and address the worsening humanitarian situation in the enclave. The letter, which was initiated by four Jewish senators, including Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and California Senator Adam Schiff, criticizes the US and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has “failed to address the deepening humanitarian crisis and contributed to an unacceptable and mounting civilian death toll.” The senators call for a large-scale expansion of aid and for its delivery by more experienced international organizations.
At the same time, a new Gallup survey reports that support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has reached a record low in the American public. The poll, which was administered July 7-21, during a period that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC and stalled negotiations over a cease fire and hostage deal, reports just 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, a 10-point drop from a similar Gallup survey conducted in September 2024. In the new survey, 60% of Americans disapprove of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The drop in approval of Israel’s military campaign was led by Democrats and Independents, whose support for Israel’s actions has plummeted 16 points compared to the September 2024 survey. In the new survey, just 8% of Democrats and 25% of Independents approved of Israel’s actions. Among Republicans, support has ticked up a few percentage points, increasing the partisan gap and moderating the overall picture.
The Gallup survey also asked respondents about their views of Benjamin Netanyahu. Overall, 29% of respondents expressed a favorable view of the prime minister compared to 52% who expressed an unfavorable view—the first time Gallup has reported a net negative appraisal since the 1990s. But on this question, too, the partisan divide has increased, with 67% of Republicans expressing a favorable view compared to just 9% of Democrats.
Beyond the growing partisan divide, gender, age, and ethnicity have emerged as critical factors in American’s views about Israel. Overall, women, young people, and people of color were more likely to express negative views. Most concerning for Israel, among respondents ages 18-34, just 9% approved of Israel’s actions in Gaza, and just 8% expressed a favorable view of the Israeli prime minister.
For now, President Trump’s support, alongside the support of the Republican party, will likely insulate Israel from the consequences of the changing political landscape. Looking beyond the moment, mounting criticism of Israel in the US Senate and Israel’s deteriorating standing in the court of public opinion, both testify to a brewing crisis in bilateral relations.
Forty Democratic Senators have signed a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff calling on the Trump administration to increase efforts to obtain a ceasefire in Gaza and address the worsening humanitarian situation in the enclave. The letter, which was initiated by four Jewish senators, including Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer and California Senator Adam Schiff, criticizes the US and Israeli-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which has “failed to address the deepening humanitarian crisis and contributed to an unacceptable and mounting civilian death toll.” The senators call for a large-scale expansion of aid and for its delivery by more experienced international organizations.
At the same time, a new Gallup survey reports that support for Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has reached a record low in the American public. The poll, which was administered July 7-21, during a period that included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington DC and stalled negotiations over a cease fire and hostage deal, reports just 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, a 10-point drop from a similar Gallup survey conducted in September 2024. In the new survey, 60% of Americans disapprove of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The drop in approval of Israel’s military campaign was led by Democrats and Independents, whose support for Israel’s actions has plummeted 16 points compared to the September 2024 survey. In the new survey, just 8% of Democrats and 25% of Independents approved of Israel’s actions. Among Republicans, support has ticked up a few percentage points, increasing the partisan gap and moderating the overall picture.
The Gallup survey also asked respondents about their views of Benjamin Netanyahu. Overall, 29% of respondents expressed a favorable view of the prime minister compared to 52% who expressed an unfavorable view—the first time Gallup has reported a net negative appraisal since the 1990s. But on this question, too, the partisan divide has increased, with 67% of Republicans expressing a favorable view compared to just 9% of Democrats.
Beyond the growing partisan divide, gender, age, and ethnicity have emerged as critical factors in American’s views about Israel. Overall, women, young people, and people of color were more likely to express negative views. Most concerning for Israel, among respondents ages 18-34, just 9% approved of Israel’s actions in Gaza, and just 8% expressed a favorable view of the Israeli prime minister.
For now, President Trump’s support, alongside the support of the Republican party, will likely insulate Israel from the consequences of the changing political landscape. Looking beyond the moment, mounting criticism of Israel in the US Senate and Israel’s deteriorating standing in the court of public opinion, both testify to a brewing crisis in bilateral relations.