Same Conflict, Different Lenses: What People’s Opinions Are 20 Months into the Conflict in Israel

The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been going on for 20 months now. Ove the last couple of weeks there have been glimmers of hope that the conflict will be endings, but nothing has been concretely established. As this conflict has progressed, perspectives on it have shifted. In our recent round of research-on-research, we continued to track the opinions people have on this conflict and the different sides.

Let’s dig into what we uncovered.

Overall

Overall, 53% of Americans remain neutral or have no opinion. Support skews slightly in favor of Israel, with 33% showing some degree of support compared to 14% for the Palestinians. While a notable share leans toward one side or the other, the majority refrain from taking a firm stance, signaling a general hesitance to align decisively.

Gender

Breaking down the data by gender found a modest divergence of opinions. Men are more likely to support Israel (40%) compared to women (27%), while women are more inclined to express neutrality (59% vs. 45%). Support for Palestinians remains relatively even between genders, with 15% of men and 14% of women expressing some level of support.

Age

Age brings more noticeable shifts. Older adults, particularly those 65 and up, are the most supportive of Israel (51%), whereas the youngest group, 18-24, stands out for showing the highest support for Palestinians at 26%—a notably higher figure than any other age group. Younger Americans also register the highest levels of neutrality, reflecting either indecision or a broader range of viewpoints across the age group.

Income

Income levels show a gradual increase in support for Israel as earnings rise. Those earning $100,000 or more are most likely to support Israel (40%), while individuals making under $20,000 show lower support (26%) and higher neutrality (61%). Interestingly, support for Palestinians is slightly higher among both the lowest and highest income groups, suggesting varying influences across the economic spectrum.

Political Affiliation

Among political affiliations, Republicans are the most likely to support Israel (50%), with significantly fewer Democrats (25%) and Independents (25%) doing the same. Meanwhile, a majority of Independents (62%) and those identifying as “Other” (71%) prefer not to take sides. Support for Palestinians is highest among Democrats at 22%, reflecting the most evenly distributed sentiment across the political spectrum.

Ethnicity

Ethnic background also plays a role in shaping opinion. Caucasian respondents show the highest support for Israel (35%), while support among African American, Asian, and Hispanic/Latino individuals ranges between 26% and 33%. Support for Palestinians is relatively consistent across all groups, with slight increases among Asian (18%) and “Other” (19%) respondents.

Panel

Panel data highlights the value of blended samples in understanding public sentiment. Support for Israel varies by 13 percentage points across panels, from a low of 27% in Panel B to a high of 40% in Panel Q. Similar swings appear in neutrality and support for Palestinians, with Panels F and I showing stronger leanings toward the Palestinian side and Panels O and B reflecting heightened neutrality.

These differences demonstrate that relying on a single panel can distort findings. Strategically blending sample from multiple panels helps provide a more comprehensive and reliable measure of public opinion. Learn more about EMI’s strategic blending solution.