It's been nearly a month since the October 7 terrorist attack against Israel that resulted in the death of 1,400 Israelis, many of them civilians. The attack was the bloodiest day in Israel's history, with it being the most Jews killed since the Holocaust. Hamas targeted men, women, children, and the elderly for murder, and through particularly disturbing means. Not even babies or Holocaust survivors were spared. Hamas also engaged in rape, kidnapping, and torture. In the days that followed the attack, President Joe Biden visited Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the president for his support, which should certainly say something. But, there's also something to be gleaned by way of support from not just the Biden administration but from members of Congress and voters, especially when there are breakdowns by demographics.
Multiple polls have been released by The Economist/YouGov regarding support for Israel following the attack, including one just this week. Just as these previous polls that Townhall has covered have shown, Democrats are lacking in their support for Israel, while Republicans are more supportive.
A plurality of overall respondents, 40 percent, and of registered voters, 45 percent, say they support Israel when asked, "The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are your sympathies more with...?" Such questions pit Israelis against Palestinians and ignore Hamas' hold in Gaza, while other questions address Hamas in the context of their war against Israel.
The numbers are sharply divided by partisan demographics. Two-thirds of Republican voters say their sympathies are more with the Israelis, while a plurality of Democrats say so, at 35 percent. More noteworthy is that Democratic respondents are statistically tied when it comes to whether their support is more with Israelis or Palestinians, at 23 and 22 percent, respectively.
Those nuanced views on support are also seen regarding providing aid to Israel. Pluralities of overall respondents and registered voters, 47 percent and 46 percent, respectively, think the United States should "maintain the same military support for Israel." This time, at least, respondents are actually asked about the context of the Israel-Hamas war.
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Half of Democrats want the aid to remain the same, while 48 percent of Republicans say they want to give more support. Democratic respondents are also more likely to say they want to give less support to Israel, 29 percent, than say they want to give more, 22 percent.
When asked about "U.S. Humanitarian Support for Palestinians" when it comes to "the war between Israel and Hamas," the tricky question about support is also asked.
Democrats are equally divided when it comes to whether or not they want to give more support or for it to remain the same, with each option getting 45 percent support from the demographic. Republicans are much more clear in opposing support, as 49 percent want it to remain the same, and 42 percent say they actually want less support.
Economist/YouGov polling on Israel-Hamas war
— YouGov America (@YouGovAmerica) November 2, 2023
% who want the U.S. to give more...
Military support for Israel
• Democrats: 22%
• Republicans: 48%
Humanitarian support for the Palestinians
• Democrats: 45%
• Republicans: 8%https://t.co/T5ezy6UFp0 pic.twitter.com/hoDJhYXVWF
The question is tricky because there have been concerns regarding providing aid to Gaza as a form of "humanitarian support for Palestinians," given Hamas gets ahold of such aid meant for civilians. Yet, 45 percent of Democrats think we should be giving more of it. This is after the Biden administration announced $100 million in aid for Gaza last month.
When it comes to the "harshness" from Israel in response to the brutal attack from Hamas, registered voters are more sure in their views about the attack, as a plurality, 30 percent, say it was "just right." Overall respondents are more likely to say they're "not sure," with 32 percent saying so.
The partisan breakdown is once again striking, as a plurality of Democrats, 33 percent, actually say the response has been "too harsh," while a plurality of Republicans, 35 percent, say it has been "not harsh enough."
Not long after the poll was released, Biden called for "a pause" after being confronted by a heckler who demanded a "ceasefire" during the president's Wednesday night remarks in Minneapolis.
Economist/YouGov polling
— YouGov America (@YouGovAmerica) November 2, 2023
% who think the Israeli government's military response to the attack by Hamas has been too harsh / not harsh enough
U.S. adult citizens: 23% / 19%
Democrats: 33% / 8%
Independents: 28% / 15%
Republicans: 6% / 35%https://t.co/GYKNYhetnW pic.twitter.com/fT9JrpvEhL
This most recent poll from The Economist/YouGov was conducted October 28-31, with 1,500 adults, including 1,333 registered voters, for which there was a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.
A YouGov poll from last month also pointed to how Republicans are perceived to be the party more supportive of Israel when that question is specifically asked. Overall, a plurality of adults, 29 percent, believe that Republicans are more supportive of Israel, while 26 percent say they're "not sure," 24 percent say Democrats are, and 22 percent say "both parties are equally supportive. Surprisingly, those numbers showed a tightening gap from last December, when 34 percent said Republicans are more supportive of Israel.
Regarding how parties feel about which is more supportive of Israel, a plurality of Democratic respondents, 49 percent, say their party is. A majority, however, of Republicans, 64 percent, say their party is. It was the same exact number in December.
% who think the Democratic Party / Republican Party is more supportive of Israel
— YouGov America (@YouGovAmerica) October 14, 2023
October 9 - 10, 2023
24% / 29%
December 3 - 6, 2022
16% / 34%https://t.co/LXg3avAnYB pic.twitter.com/3f1zb7oBgt
Although this particular poll does not look at respondents' religion, other polls have, and Jews remain supportive of Biden and his administration. The Cygnal poll results from last month have been particularly worth emphasizing when it comes to the breakdown based on religion, especially with Muslim Americans, given that a majority of these respondents say Hamas was justified in its attack on Israel. A majority of Jewish respondents, 58.1 percent in that poll, have a favorable view of the president.
Jews are also overall more likely to be Democrats. A report released in May of last year from the American Jewish Population Project at Brandeis' Steinhardt Social Research Institute showed that 50 percent of Jewish adults identify as Democrats, compared to 31 percent of U.S. adults. They were more likely to be independent (32 percent) than Republican (17 percent).
It's certainly a curious dichotomy given the Democrats are in disarray regarding how members of The Squad, who have been accused of anti-Israeli and anti-semitic sentiments, especially Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), are affiliated with the Democratic Party. While a resolution was filed against Tlaib by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), it was killed when the House voted to table the motion on Wednesday night. No Democratic member was willing to vote against tabling the motion.
