When Israeli President Isaac Herzog addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, there will be some notable absences. At least five progressive U.S. lawmakers, including Reps. Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and Cori Bush, confirmed that they will be skipping Herzog’s speech in protest of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians in the occupied territories, which some Democrats recently described as “racist” and akin to apartheid.
While these Democrats may be in the minority among their congressional peers, their positions are more mainstream than the D.C. establishment might suggest. Recent polls indicate a significant gap between the American public and their elected representatives when it comes to U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially among Democrats.
According to an annual Gallup survey conducted this year, for the first time, a majority of Democrats (49%) expressed more sympathy towards Palestinians than Israelis (38%). Additionally, sympathy towards Palestinians among U.S. adults is at a new high of 31%, while the proportion not favoring either side has reached a new low of 15%. This shift is notable, considering that a decade ago, sympathy towards Palestinians stood at just 12%. During the same period, sympathy towards Israelis has declined from 64% to 54%.
Other recent surveys conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland and Ipsos demonstrate similar trends. A new poll published on the eve of Herzog’s address found that if a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is no longer feasible, three-quarters of Americans would prefer a democratic Israel that is no longer Jewish over a Jewish Israel that denies full citizenship and equality to non-Jews. These changing attitudes reflect concerns about the viability of a two-state solution due to Israeli settlement expansion.
Moreover, Americans are increasingly less inclined to describe Israel as a vibrant democracy. When asked to assess Israel’s status, only 9% of respondents in a recent poll characterized it as a vibrant democracy, a narrative often propagated by U.S. officialdom. Conversely, 13% selected “a flawed democracy,” 7% chose “a state with restricted minority rights,” and another 13% described it as “a state with segregation similar to apartheid.” Surprisingly, 56% of respondents answered, “I don’t know.” This ambiguity suggests uncertainty or discomfort in addressing the issue.
These changing opinions align with a troubled period in Israel marked by sustained protests against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and an escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territories. The violence has resulted in the deaths of at least 174 Palestinians and 23 Israelis this year alone.
While lawmakers such as Tlaib and Omar have long been critical of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians, discontent over Israel’s rightward shift is growing among Democratic politicians, including traditionally pro-Israel figures on Capitol Hill. However, this shift has not been fully acknowledged within Washington, evident in the recent backlash against Rep. Pramila Jayapal’s comments referring to Israel as a “racist state.” Despite some lawmakers’ recognition of a changing world, U.S. policy on Israel remains shaped by factors such as elections, interest groups, and geopolitical considerations.
It remains to be seen how long this divergence between public opinion and policy will be sustained, but it is clear that the shifting dynamics of American sentiment towards the Israel-Palestine conflict will continue to impact the U.S.-Israel relationship. The call for policy change is growing louder, and it is a question of when, not if, that demand will translate into tangible shifts in U.S. policy.
Market Capital Research 