Americans are now slightly more likely to sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis in the Middle East conflict, according to a new Gallup poll.
The survey found 41% of Americans say they sympathize more with the Palestinians, compared with 36% who say they sympathize more with Israelis.
The difference is small and not considered statistically significant, but it marks the first time since 2001 that Israelis no longer hold a clear lead in Americans’ sympathies.
For more than two decades, Americans consistently expressed stronger sympathy for Israelis. From 2001 through 2018, the gap averaged more than 40 percentage points in Israel’s favor.
The latest shift reflects changes across several groups, especially political independents.
Among independents, 41% now say they sympathize more with Palestinians while 30% say they sympathize more with Israelis. In previous years, independents typically leaned toward Israel.
Democrats continue to show the strongest sympathy toward Palestinians. Sixty-five percent say they sympathize more with Palestinians, compared with 17% who say they sympathize more with Israelis.
Republicans remain the most supportive of Israel. Seventy percent say they sympathize more with Israelis, while 13% say they sympathize more with Palestinians. However, support among Republicans has declined by 10 percentage points since 2024.
The shift appears across age groups as well.
Among adults ages 18 to 34, a majority — 53% — now say they sympathize more with Palestinians, while 23% sympathize more with Israelis. Adults ages 35 to 54 also now lean toward Palestinians, with 46% expressing that view compared with 28% who sympathize more with Israelis.
Adults 55 and older remain more supportive of Israel, though the gap has narrowed. Forty-nine percent of older Americans say they sympathize more with Israelis, while 31% say they sympathize more with Palestinians.
The poll also found changes in how Americans view the two sides more broadly.
Forty-six percent of Americans now say they view Israel favorably, while 37% say they view the Palestinian Territories favorably. Israel still holds the higher rating, but its favorability has declined while views of the Palestinian Territories have improved.
Support for a two-state solution remains relatively strong.
Fifty-seven percent of Americans say they favor the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Twenty-eight percent oppose the idea, and 15% say they have no opinion.
That level of support nearly matches the highest Gallup has recorded since it first asked the question in 2003.
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