In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attacks, President Joe Biden swiftly expressed solidarity with Israel, standing alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reassuring the nation that they are “not alone.” However, six months later, polling conducted for Newsweek indicates a significant shift in American voters’ attitudes toward Biden’s management of the Gaza crisis.
According to three surveys conducted exclusively for Newsweek by Redfield & Wilton Strategies since December, U.S. voters’ disapproval of Biden’s actions in the crisis has intensified. While Biden’s initial show of support for Israel was widely noted, subsequent developments have left many voters dissatisfied with his response.
Experts suggest that Biden’s handling of the Israel issue could pose challenges for him, particularly with his base, as the presidential campaign trail heats up. Despite this, some political analysts believe that the Gaza crisis may not significantly impact Biden’s prospects come November, with other pressing issues taking precedence in voters’ minds.
Biden’s announcement of a plan to construct a port on the coast of Gaza to facilitate aid delivery, coupled with efforts to air-drop humanitarian aid into the territory, garnered support from a majority of respondents in the latest polling. However, while the policy received backing from over half of respondents, it failed to improve perceptions of Biden’s handling of the crisis.
The polling conducted in March revealed that nearly half of American voters remained unchanged in their opinion of Biden’s response to the Gaza crisis, despite efforts to deliver humanitarian aid. In fact, Biden’s approval rating on Israel saw a decline, with disapproval outweighing approval by a significant margin.
Overall, the latest survey reflected a notable shift, with Biden’s approval rating on Israel plummeting from a positive 6 points in December to a negative 9 points in March. With 39 percent of respondents expressing disapproval and only 30 percent approval, Biden faces mounting discontent from American voters regarding his handling of the Gaza crisis.
