(TheIndependentStar.com) – A recent survey has shown that a vast majority of Americans believe it’s important for the U.S. to provide military aid to Israel, especially in light of its war with Hamas.
As per the survey, 74% of those surveyed expressed this sentiment. This figure is slightly higher than the 72% who believe it’s essential for the U.S. to fund border security and offer humanitarian aid to Mexico.
Joe Biden recently visited Israel and sat down with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During his visit, he voiced a commitment to seek extensive support for Israel from Congress, especially after the deadly events of October 7.
On that day, Hamas orchestrated an attack, likened by many to the 9/11 attacks on the U.S., which resulted in the tragic death of more than 1,400 people, including American citizens. Additionally, about 200 individuals were taken as hostages to Gaza by Hamas.
A hospital in Gaza was bombed, leading to the cancellation of Biden’s planned summit with Arab leaders in Jordan.
While both Hamas and Israel have pointed fingers at each other for the bombing, Biden has attributed the tragedy to a misfired missile from Gaza rather than an attack from Israel.
The Biden administration is now putting together a foreign aid package worth $100 billion. This package is intended to address multiple security concerns, including assistance to Israel. The specifics of this funding package are still being sorted out, but an official request is expected to be sent to Congress soon.
Comparing the current sentiments to those from a 2014 survey, there’s been an increase in support for Israel – up by 5 points to 39%. On the other hand, support for Palestine has only seen a slight increase of 2 points, reaching a total of 6%. Interestingly, the percentage of Americans who feel that both Israel and Palestine should receive equal treatment from the U.S. has dropped from 53% in 2014 to 36%.
Jay Campbell, a partner at Hart Research Associates, commented on the survey’s results, pointing out a noticeable generational divide. He said, “Younger Democrats have increased their sympathies on both sides of the ledger to a certain degree, whereas Democrats over age 50 are really much more in support of Israel than Palestinians at this point in time.”
In terms of Biden’s approach to foreign policy, the public’s response has been less than favorable. A mere 31% of the respondents approved of his foreign policy strategies, while a significant 60% disapproved.
This CNBC survey, which provides insights into the perspectives of Americans on these critical issues, was conducted with 1,001 participants and has a 3.1% margin of error.
