For over seventy years, the United States’ political and media landscape has been shaped by a steadfast support for Israel, driven by powerful lobbying groups, deep-rooted alliances, and a narrative that rarely faced serious public challenge. Yet, recent events—marked most dramatically by the ongoing violence in Gaza and a shifting international tone—are beginning to erode that consensus. The question on many minds is how these changes will ultimately affect U.S. policy and the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
According to Al Jazeera, the Zionist narrative’s dominance in the U.S. has been underpinned by decades of lobbying and support from evangelical Christian groups, with mainstream media often echoing this perspective. But the devastation in Gaza over the past two years has generated a torrent of harrowing images and stories, forcing many Americans to reconsider their stance. The scale of destruction and loss of life has, as Al Jazeera puts it, created “an indomitable record of horror that has challenged the Zionist narrative.”
Polls now reveal a significant shift in American public opinion. A March 2025 Pew Research poll found that negative attitudes toward Israel have climbed from 42% to 53% among all U.S. adults since 2022. The change is even more pronounced among Democrats, with negative views jumping from 53% to 69% in the same period. Notably, this isn’t just a youth movement: among Democrats aged 50 and older, negative attitudes rose sharply from 43% to 66%.
Sympathy for Palestinians is also on the rise. An August 2025 poll by The Economist and YouGov showed 44% of Democrats sympathizing more with Palestinians, compared to just 15% for Israelis. Among Independents, 30% now side more with Palestinians, while only 21% lean toward Israel. Perhaps most strikingly, 78% of all Americans—including 75% of Republicans—want an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The same poll reported that 43% of respondents believe Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, while just 28% disagreed. Furthermore, 42% of Americans now favor decreasing support for Israel; even among Republicans, 24% support this move.
The generational divide is especially stark. A July 2025 Harvard-Harris poll revealed that 40% of young Americans now favor Hamas over Israel—a dramatic shift suggesting that the traditional framing of Palestinian groups as solely terrorist organizations is losing traction with the youth. Only 27% of respondents supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a far cry from the enthusiastic receptions he once received in Washington.
Despite these dramatic shifts in public sentiment, immediate changes in U.S. policy seem unlikely. The intricate web of arms deals, security cooperation, and diplomatic backing for Israel—built up over nearly eight decades—cannot unravel overnight. As Al Jazeera observes, “the support structure built up over almost eight decades cannot be expected to evaporate overnight.” However, in the long run, reduced U.S. backing may force Israel to reconsider its aggressive regional posture and could even push it toward making concessions on the Palestinian question.
Political change, if it comes, will likely be gradual. The U.S. Congress, long a bastion of bipartisan support for Israel, may start to see cracks as younger, more progressive candidates challenge incumbents—often rejecting funding from pro-Israel groups like AIPAC. Yet, as Al Jazeera notes, “there will be stiff resistance to it.” Pro-Israel lobby groups are expected to use their considerable resources to oppose any candidate expressing sympathy for Palestinians or questioning automatic support for Israel. Additionally, domestic concerns like the economy and healthcare are likely to remain higher priorities for most voters, slowing the pace of foreign policy change.
Within the Democratic Party, pressure is mounting from the progressive base to reconsider the U.S.-Israel relationship. The victory of pro-Palestinian candidates, such as New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary, signals a growing bloc within the party that could eventually force leadership to shift its stance. Still, as Al Jazeera cautions, “this process… will not be quick enough to immediately improve the situation in Palestine or even stop the looming ethnic cleansing of Gaza.” Relief for Palestinians, the report suggests, is more likely to come from international pressure and developments on the ground than from rapid U.S. policy shifts.
Meanwhile, the international landscape is also shifting. On September 22, 2025, France and Saudi Arabia co-hosted a United Nations summit in New York City focused on Palestinian statehood and implementing a two-state solution. The event drew sharp criticism from the U.S. government and its allies. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed the summit as “symbolic” and claimed it would have “no impact whatsoever” on the Israel-Palestine conflict, even suggesting it would “embolden” Hamas. U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee went further, calling the summit “revolting” and mocking France’s role by suggesting it should “give up the French Riviera for a Palestinian state,” according to Middle East Eye.
Yet, the U.S. approach to Saudi Arabia’s co-hosting of the summit was noticeably muted. Experts told Middle East Eye that this reflects Riyadh’s substantial financial influence and deepening security ties with Washington. Bader al-Saif, a professor at Kuwait University, remarked, “Is France pumping in hundreds of billions of dollars into the US economy? I don’t think so. The Gulf has a lot more leverage than they think they do.”
Indeed, President Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May 2025, where the kingdom pledged $600 billion in investments in the U.S. While some of these deals have yet to materialize fully, the financial promise alone carries significant weight. Under Saudi pressure, Trump halted a U.S. bombing campaign against Yemen’s Houthis, even as the Houthis continued missile attacks on Israel. Trump also lifted sanctions on Syria—despite opposition from both the U.S. establishment and Israeli lobbying groups. Yet, on the most critical issues, Trump has maintained unwavering support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which the United Nations and human rights experts have labeled as genocide.
Saudi Arabia’s growing strategic independence is also evident. In September 2025, the kingdom signed a defense pact with Pakistan—the only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state—and is reportedly developing ballistic missiles with Chinese assistance. Experts suggest that the U.S. is keen to keep Saudi Arabia “on side,” especially as the Gulf states become increasingly wary of Washington’s acquiescence to Israeli military actions across the region.
Trump’s personal biases also play a role. Gregory Gause of the Middle East Institute told Middle East Eye, “Trump’s first impression of anything that comes from Germany or France is negative because he just doesn’t like them. The Gulf has an ability to get in his ear. They can get Trump’s attention more than the Europeans.” With stakes higher in the Gulf and the region’s leaders able to wield economic and security leverage, the U.S. is more cautious in its criticism.
As the U.S. political landscape shifts and international alliances evolve, the future of American support for Israel—and the broader Middle East—is entering uncharted territory. The pace of change may be slow, but the signs of a fundamental realignment are impossible to ignore.