Pew Poll: Dislike of Americans for Israel & Netanyahu Rising Sharply

A growing share of Americans are turning away from Israel & its leadership, with a new Pew survey revealing a widening backlash - especially among youngsters - as frustration builds over war, leadership, & the direction of U.S. foreign policy.

April 08, 2026Clash Report

A new Pew Research Center survey shows a broad shift in U.S. public opinion, with negative views of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rising across political, age, and religious groups, particularly among younger Americans.

The survey, conducted March 23-29 among 3,507 U.S. adults, found that 60% now hold an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% in 2025 and nearly 20 points higher than in 2022. The share with a “very unfavorable” view reached 28%, up from 10% in 2022.

Among Americans under 50, majorities in both parties now express negative views. Within the Republican Party, 57% of those aged 18-49 view Israel unfavorably, up from 50% last year, while older Republicans remain largely supportive.

Partisan divides remain pronounced. Eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents hold unfavorable views of Israel, rising from 69% in 2025 and 53% in 2022.

Republicans remain more favorable overall, with 58% expressing positive views, but internal divisions have grown. Confidence in Netanyahu reflects a similar split: 76% of Democrats lack confidence in him, while Republicans are evenly divided at 45% confident versus 44% not.

Across the broader population, 59% of Americans have little or no confidence in Netanyahu’s handling of world affairs, up from 52% in 2025 and nearly 20 points higher than in 2023.

Among Democrats, 52% now say they have “no confidence at all,” compared with 37% a year earlier.

Among Republicans, age differences are pronounced: 58% of those aged 50 and older express confidence, compared with 30% among younger Republicans.

Views vary significantly across religious groups. Jewish Americans (64%) and White evangelical Protestants (65%) hold mostly favorable views of Israel, while support is markedly lower among Catholics (35%), Black Protestants (33%), and the religiously unaffiliated (22%).

Among Muslim Americans, only 4% express a positive view of Israel, while 91% report little or no confidence in Netanyahu, including 74% with no confidence at all.

The survey also found that 55% of Americans lack confidence in President Donald Trump to manage U.S.-Israel relations, with sharp partisan divergence: 73% of Republicans express confidence versus 16% of Democrats.

While 53% of Americans say the Israel-Hamas conflict is personally important, this lags behind concern over U.S. military action against Iran, cited by 77%.