
Poll: Israel's standing plummets among Democrats, fueling primaries on the left
NBC News
American voters’ feelings on Israel and the Palestinian territories have shifted dramatically in recent years, in a sea change that is transforming the Democratic Party and shaping its primaries
American voters’ feelings on Israel and the Palestinian territories have shifted dramatically in recent years, in a sea change that is transforming the Democratic Party and shaping its primaries.
A new NBC News poll underscores the depths of the shift. More registered voters view Israel negatively than positively, a change from a few years ago. The change has been especially pronounced among independents and Democrats, fueling divided congressional primaries in 2026 and potentially shaping the party’s 2028 presidential contest.
When asked whether their sympathies lie more with Israelis or Palestinians, 40% of registered voters say they side more with the Palestinians, while 39% choose the Israelis. The split stood at 45% for Israelis and 13% for Palestinians when NBC News asked the question more than a decade ago, in November 2013.
But while two-thirds of Republicans side with the Israelis, similar to 2013, two-thirds of Democrats now side with the Palestinians.
The data also outlines major changes in how many of those groups view Israel and a Palestinian state generally. Now, almost 60% of Democrats and almost 50% of independents view Israel negatively, a change from when NBC News last asked this question in November 2023, shortly after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Those shifts contributed to the plurality negative view on Israel in the latest survey.













