Young Americans more critical of Israel, poll shows

Young Americans are much more critical than other citizens of how Israel is waging its war in Gaza, with US public opinion overall divided on President Joe Biden's handling of the crisis, a major survey said Thursday.

Despite intense, divisive public debate on the war -- and extensive discussion in Washington on how it will affect Biden's reelection chances -- the survey by the Pew Research Center also found that many Americans are not paying close attention and that 40 percent said they were unsure whether Biden was striking the right balance.

Among Americans between the ages of 18 and 29, 46 percent said that the way Israel is carrying out its response to the October 7 attack by Hamas is unacceptable, with only 21 percent saying it was acceptable and the rest responding they were not sure.

Young people's views were nearly flipped among older Americans, with 53 percent of those aged 65 and above supporting Israel's response and 29 percent calling it unacceptable.

Biden, 81, has often described himself as a lifelong supporter of Israel and has staunchly defended its right to respond to the October 7 attack, the deadliest in Israel's history in which mostly civilians died.

The president has offered military and diplomatic support to Israel but also criticized its leaders for not doing more to protect civilians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, where the United Nations says famine is imminent.

As the US election approaches, much attention has focused on Michigan, a must-win state for Biden in his November rematch against Donald Trump -- and where a sizable Muslim and Arab-American community could prove decisive in a close race.

The survey showed that even among fellow Democrats, views on Biden's handling of the conflict were mixed, with 34 percent saying he was favoring Israel too much, and 29 percent saying he was striking the right balance.

The survey, which took answers from 12,693 people, also showed sharply critical views of Israel among Muslim Americans.

Twenty-one percent of Muslims said that Hamas carried out the October 7 attack in an acceptable way, a view shared by just five percent of the general US population.

Among Jewish Americans, 62 percent approved of how Israel is carrying out the war, higher than the national average, although the Jewish community offered more criticism of Israel than white evangelical Protestants.