(Patriot.Buzz) – The Rasmussen Reports survey, conducted from late October to early November, reveals a significant portion of Americans stand with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s firm stance against a cease-fire in Gaza. This sentiment comes after Hamas’ terrorist attacks on October 7, which resulted in thousands of deaths and over 200 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza. Netanyahu’s forces are currently enacting retribution against Hamas for these attacks.
The survey asked 995 likely voters about their thoughts on Netanyahu’s assertion: “Calls for a ceasefire are calls for Israel to surrender to Hamas, to surrender to terrorism, to surrender to barbarism. That will not happen.” In response, an overwhelming 68% concurred with Netanyahu’s firm declaration. This consensus included 49% who strongly agreed with the prime minister. In contrast, a mere 21% disagreed with Netanyahu’s statement, with 10% expressing strong disagreement. An additional 10% remained uncertain.
Furthermore, American sympathy towards Israel has noticeably increased. When questioned about their historical sympathies in the Israel-Palestine situation, 59% of respondents leaned towards Israel, marking an 8% rise from 2019. Only 18% felt more sympathetic towards the Palestinians, while 23% could not decide.
The survey also highlighted a political divide, with Democrats showing less inclination towards Israeli sympathies compared to other voters and similarly less endorsement of Netanyahu’s rejection of a Gaza ceasefire. A total of 48% of Democrat respondents sympathized more with Israelis, compared to 70% of Republicans and 60% of independents. Regarding rejecting a ceasefire, only 38% of Democrats strongly agreed with Netanyahu, while 64% of Republicans and 46% of unaffiliated voters concurred.
Netanyahu’s overall favorability stands at 54%, including 28% who have a very favorable opinion of him, an increase from the 37% favorable opinion in 2019. In contrast, 31% view Netanyahu unfavorably. This perception varies among political lines, with 66% of Republicans, 46% of Democrats, and 50% of independents viewing him at least somewhat favorably.
The survey also revealed a generational and political gap. Voters under 40 are three times more likely to sympathize with the Palestinians than older voters. Among those who strongly approve of Joe Biden’s job performance, only 36% hold a favorable view of Netanyahu, whereas 68% of those strongly disapproving of Biden’s performance view Netanyahu favorably.
