---
title: "Israel Support in U.S. Unchanged in Wake of Gaza Conflict"
description: "The number of Americans sympathizing with Israel is five times greater than those siding with the Palestinians."
date: "2012-12-26"
authors:
  - name: "Bruce Drake"
    job_title: "Former Senior Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/bruce-drake/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2012/12/26/israel-support-in-u-s-unchanged-in-wake-of-gaza-conflict/"
---

# Israel Support in U.S. Unchanged in Wake of Gaza Conflict

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2012/12/DN_Israel.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/12/14/public-says-u-s-does-not-have-responsibility-to-act-in-syria/)

For decades, the public has sympathized with Israel over the Palestinians and that remains the case today. Overall, five times more Americans sympathize with Israel than the Palestinians. In a survey conducted after last month's conflict between Israel and Hamas forces in Gaza, 50% said they sympathize more with Israel, compared with just 10% who said they sympathize more with the Palestinians. Almost a quarter (23%) did not offer an opinion while 13% volunteered that they sympathize with neither side, and 4% said both. In May, 48% sided with Israel compared to 11% who backed the Palestinians.

There continue to be stark partisan differences in Middle East sympathies. Conservative Republicans maintain strong support for Israel, with fully 75% saying they sympathize with Israel compared with just 2% who sympathize with the Palestinians. By contrast, liberal Democrats are much more divided: 33% sympathize more with Israel, 22% with the Palestinians. Independents sympathize more with Israel by a 47% to 13% margin.

Among religious groups, white evangelical Protestants remain strongly supportive of Israel. Two-thirds (67%) say they sympathize more with Israel; only 5% say they sympathize more with the Palestinians. Opinion among other religious groups is more mixed. Catholics, for example, offer more sympathy for Israel than the Palestinians by a 44% to 11% margin. [Read more](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2012/12/14/public-says-u-s-does-not-have-responsibility-to-act-in-syria/)