Sam Kinison for Secr of Defense. Oh, I forgot...he's no longer with us.
U.S. Voters Back Israel, Support ‘Eradication’ of Hamas
Friday, October 13, 2023
After the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, most U.S. voters blame Palestinians for the conflict, and agree with a Republican senator’s call for the “eradication” of Hamas.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 53% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel. Only 10% think Israel is mostly to blame, while 24% say both sides are about equally to blame for the conflict. Another 13% are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, said Monday: “Israel has no choice but to seek the complete eradication of Hamas in Gaza.” Two-thirds (66%) of voters agree with that statement, including 41% who Strongly Agree. Just 19% disagree with Rubio’s statement, while another 15% are not sure.
The survey of 1,007 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on October 10-12, 2023 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
Seventeen percent (17%) believe that, generally speaking, the United States is too supportive of Israel, a significant drop from 24% in July. Nearly twice as many (33%) voters now think the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel, – up from 27% in July – while 38% say America's support for Israel is just about right. Another 12% are undecided.
Eighty-four percent (84%) of voters have closely followed news about the recent Hamas attack in Israel, including 53% who have followed the news Very Closely. Among those who have Very Closely followed news about the Hamas attack, 40% believe the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel and 64% think the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of Republicans, but only 40% of Democrats, believe the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel. Twice as many Democrats (14%) as Republicans (7%) say Israel is mostly to blame for the conflict. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 54% think the Palestinians are mostly to blame, while nine percent (9%) believe Israel is mostly to blame.
Republicans (46%) are significantly more likely than Democrats (23%) or unaffiliated voters (31%) to say the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of Republicans, 62% of Democrats and 61% of unaffiliated voters at least somewhat agree with Rubio’s quote that “Israel has no choice but to seek the complete eradication of Hamas in Gaza.”
More men (89%) than women voters (79%) have closely followed news about the recent Hamas attack. Significantly more men (46%) than women voters (36%) Strongly Agree with Rubio’s statement about the “eradication” of Hamas.
Whites (56%) are more likely than black voters (41%) or other minorities (50%) to say the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel. Black voters are most likely to disagree with Rubio’s quote.
Older voters are clearly more sympathetic to Israel. Among those 65 and older, fully two-thirds (67%) believe the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel, a belief shared by 57% of voters ages 40-64, but only 33% of those 40 and under. Voters under 40 are significantly more likely to think Israel is to blame for the conflict, and to say the U.S. is too supportive of Israel.
Among voters who believe the Palestinians are mostly to blame for the conflict with Israel, 79% think the U.S. is not supportive enough of Israel.
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The survey of 1,007 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on October 10-12, 2023 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research.
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