Public opinion in the United States regarding Israel has experienced a sharp decline over the past eight years, shifting from a broad political consensus to net-negative favorability across the general electorate, according to data presented Friday on CNN.
Appearing on “CNN News Central,” CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten pointed to a series of recent polls showing that net favorability ratings for Israel have turned negative across multiple tracking organizations. According to the data, net favorability stands at minus 10 points in Ipsos polling, minus 11 points according to Fox News, minus 20 points in the Marquette University Law School poll, and minus 23 points in findings from the Pew Research Center. Gallup also reported negative numbers earlier this year.
The figures reflect a dramatic pivot from past political norms. During Donald Trump’s first term, Israel’s average net favorability hovered at plus 51 points. Today, that average has fallen to minus 16 points, representing a 67-point drop in less than a decade.
“We’re not just talking about the Democratic base anymore. We’re talking about the general electorate as well,” Enten told anchor John Berman. “The general electorate has turned against Israel. This is not just a left issue. It is an American issue when it comes to opinions on Israel.”
The shift extends to specific policy questions regarding military support. The data shows that 55 percent of Americans believe the U.S. should reduce or end military assistance to Israel. This viewpoint crosses educational lines, shared by 51 percent of non-college graduates and 62 percent of college graduates.
The discussion comes on the heels of a recent vote in the House of Representatives where 100 Democrats opposed a military assistance package for Israel. While conventional political wisdom has long treated opposition to Israeli aid as a guaranteed political liability, Berman and Enten noted that the latest polling suggests the political landscape is changing.
“The numbers just don’t seem to suggest that,” Berman said, pointing out that public skepticism regarding aid is no longer confined to the fringes of either party.
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