From New Jersey and North Carolina to Tuesday’s Illinois contests, Israel has become a prominent issue in Democratic primaries. Polling shows declining American support for Israel, especially among younger voters and Democrats, and the most Democratic districts are drawing progressive challengers and activists.
In Illinois, groups tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent tens of millions of dollars in primary races, turning outside spending into a political flashpoint. AIPAC is a leading pro-Israel lobbying group that endorses and financially backs candidates, and for decades it has worked to shape U.S. policy toward Israel and influence lawmakers and presidents. The group has long been controversial: it has clashed with presidents across parties over arms sales and settlement policy, was connected to a Pentagon analyst who pleaded guilty to sharing secrets two decades ago, and lobbied against the Iran nuclear deal during the Obama administration.
Many progressives now oppose AIPAC because of its staunch support for Israel. Criticism has intensified over Israel’s occupation of Gaza and its response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, which have also sparked mass protests globally. At the same time, incidents of antisemitic violence have risen, including a recent attack at a Michigan synagogue, the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia in December 2025, and the killing of two Israeli Embassy staffers near the Jewish Museum in Washington last year.
Reliable polls from Gallup and NBC News show marked shifts in American attitudes. For the first time in about 25 years of Gallup tracking, more Americans now say their sympathies lie with Palestinians than with Israelis—41% to 36%. In 2018, nearly two-thirds sided more with Israelis. An NBC News poll this week showed a close 40%-39% split favoring Israelis, with those saying they sympathize more with Palestinians rising from 13% in 2013 to 39% now.
The biggest swings are among Democrats and younger voters. Gallup finds Democratic sympathy for Israelis collapsing from a 2014 high of 58% to 17% today, while 65% now side more with Palestinians. Americans aged 18–34 have flipped too: in 2018 they favored Israelis 59%–21%, but as of February they favored Palestinians 53%–23%. NBC’s numbers echo this trend: Democrats went from a 34%–18% tilt toward Israelis in 2013 to a 67%–17% tilt toward Palestinians now; among 18–34-year-olds, negative views of Israel rose sharply since 2023.
Independents and those aged 35–54 have also shifted away from Israel. Gallup shows independents drop from 63% sympathy for Israelis in 2013 to 30% now, with 41% siding with Palestinians. Support among 35–54-year-olds fell from 45% to 28% in a year, and NBC reports double-digit declines in positive ratings among that group.
Older voters and Republicans remain the most likely to support Israel. Those 55 and older still show a plurality for Israel (49%–31%), though that margin is smaller than it was in 2023. Republicans remain heavily sympathetic to Israelis—about 70% in Gallup and 69% in NBC polling—even as their support has dipped from earlier highs.
In the short term, views on Israel are influencing Democratic primaries. If current trends persist, they could also reshape U.S. policy toward Israel over the longer term, especially as tensions with Iran continue.
