As Americans find themselves dragged into yet another Middle East conflict, it’s worth looking at how we wound up here, the role of Israel’s Prime Minister and his political problems, the impact of Hamas and how this has all increasingly undermined the American people’s support for Israel, as well as Israeli frustration with their regime.
American support for Israel was a given when I was growing up. The U.S. would defend the country and its people from the overwhelming numerical superiority of its Arab neighbors, though the Israelis were good at defending themselves. American Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton worked with Israeli Prime Ministers to conclude peace treaties with moderate Arab neighbors like Egypt and Jordan. Republican Presidents also joined in the bipartisan support.
As recently as the 2010s, between 60 and 70 percent of Americans backed Israel, according to surveys. Palestinians were held in low regard (10 to 20%), most likely due to the behavior of terror groups like Abu Nidal and Black September and others killing Americans abroad, as well as Israeli Olympic athletes. These surveys were conducted by Gallup polling.
In fact, in 2023, Israel was about to sign a deal with Saudi Arabia over recognition, which would have likely led many countries in the Arab League to recognize Israel, but pave the way for economic relations. And that’s why the terrorist group Hamas led the cruel attack, as I pointed out back then. These Hamas terrorists failed to crush Israel, but they sure killed the deal with other Arab states, isolating Israel more than it has been in decades.
In Israel, the Prime Minister was facing all kinds of corruption charges. In response, he sought to defang the country’s judiciary, leading to widespread anger and national protests, especially from the Israeli Defense Forces. Key defenders in Israel warned that the Hamas attacks were coming, but the regime ignored them. The toll on Palestinian civilians has been so harsh that it has led to condemnation in America, Israel, and the rest of the world.
Now a majority of Americans don’t support Israel in those same Gallup surveys. Frustration with Israel’s regime is increasingly bipartisan. Sadly, this is backed by other surveys, such as the Pew Research Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. And Axios revealed that 60 percent of Americans think the U.S. military shouldn’t get involved in any fight between Israel and Iran.
“That largely holds up across party lines, with 65% of Democrats, 61% of independents and 53% of Republicans opposing U.S. military intervention in Iran,” Axios adds. “Most Americans think the U.S. should engage in negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program — that’s true across 58% of Democrats and 61% of Republicans.”
After a brief “rally ‘round the flag effect,” a mini-burst of national unity over Hamas’ hostage taking, Israelis are also largely angry with Netanyahu.
The Times of Israel reports, “Asked if they trust the current Netanyahu government, 70% of respondents said they do not, compared to 27% who said they do. Even among coalition voters, just 51% said they trust the government, compared to 36% who said they do not.” Statista shows evidence that Netanyahu has become increasingly less popular with Israelis over time, even after the Gaza War, with a wide majority expressing unfavorable views of him. More than 70% of Israelis want him to resign, according to The Atlantic. That’s likely why Israel’s Prime Minister launched the attack on Iran, hoping for the same rally effect as he got from Gaza. But if history is any guide, it’ll be only a short-term boost at best. Long term, Israelis and Americans want peace, instead of wars waged more for popularity than real security.
I believe you can support Israel and oppose their prime minister’s actions, especially when they seem increasingly about a politician maintaining power and avoiding facing judicial accountability. This needs to be communicated to Congress, so they’ll know where we stand.
John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. His views are his own. He can be reached at jtures@lagrange.edu. His “X” account is JohnTures2.