People in the US are rejecting Israel’s war on Gaza more than ever before, a Gallup poll revealed on July 29. US approval of Israel’s military action in Gaza has dropped to lowest percentage, at 32%, since Gallup began tracking in November 2023, while disapproval has surged to 60%. These results are from polling conducted between July 7 and 21.
Since October 2023, Democratic Party voters have consistently shown more disapproval of Israeli military action, but both Democratic Party and Independent voters are now at their lowest levels on record, according to Gallup. Only 8% of Democratic voters polled support Israel’s military action. However, the poll shows Republican support of Israel’s actions holding firm, up to 71% approval from 66% in September of 2024.
Starvation deaths in Gaza up to 239
This drop in support comes as the world is witnessing the mass starvation of Palestinians in Gaza due to Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid. Over 100 aid organizations, including Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), published a joint statement, claiming that Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid entering the Strip has “has left millions of dollars’ worth of food, medicine, water, and shelter items stranded in warehouses across Jordan and Egypt, while Palestinians are being starved.”
The total number of starvation deaths in the Strip is now at 239, including 106 children. The United Nations World Food Program warned on August 12 that “starvation and malnutrition are at the highest levels since the conflict began.”
While support for Israel’s actions falls to record lows, the Israeli government has taken deliberate steps to recruit conservative influencers to the cause of defending the Zionist state. This week, fifteen conservative US influencers, who are considered a part of Trump’s “MAGA” ideology, traveled to Israel on a trip hosted by Israel365, an advocacy group that says it works to “strengthen Israel by building bridges between Jews, Christians and all who share our faith-based values.”
According to an Israeli Foreign Ministry memo obtained by Axios, Israel365 received a USD 70,000 contract from the Israeli Foreign Ministry to organize the trip.
Mass mobilizations impact mass consciousness
Since October 2023, mass mobilizations have taken over streets throughout the US in solidarity with Palestine. November 4, 2023 saw the largest national demonstration for Palestine in US history with half a million in attendance.
As Israel deliberately starves Palestinians in Gaza, pro-Palestine groups are organizing a march of thousands through the streets of New York City on August 16 to protest against the starvation and the US government’s unwillingness to end military aid to Israel.
One of the groups behind Saturday’s march, the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), spoke to Peoples Dispatch on the importance of such mobilizations for shifting public opinion. “Here in America, not only do we see the genocide live from our phones, we also have a Palestine movement that is growing every day,” said a member of PYM. “Americans are increasingly aware of their government’s entanglement in the genocide and less and less people are willing to sit idle as Zionism’s crimes goes unchecked.”
The post Public support for Israeli military action in Gaza reaches historic low in the US appeared first on Peoples Dispatch.
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