Paradoxically, while Islamophobia continues to rise across the US, sentiments supporting Palestinians and opposing Israeli occupation are increasing steadily. In theory, this means that the pro-Israel media success in linking Israel’s actions against the Palestinian people to the so-called “war on terror” — a narrative that has demonised Islam and Muslims for many years — is faltering.
Americans are increasingly viewing the situation in Palestine as a human rights issue, and one that is deeply relevant to domestic politics.
A recent Gallup poll underscores this shift. The poll, released on 6 March, was conducted between 3 and 16 February. It found that American support for Israel is at its lowest point in 25 years, while sympathy for Palestinians has reached its highest level. Having 46 per cent of Americans supporting Israel and 33 per cent supporting Palestinians would have seemed inconceivable in the past, when the plight of Palestine and its people was largely overlooked by the general public in the United States.
Even more remarkable is that this shift continues to gain momentum, despite the fact that mainstream media and American politicians remain more biased than ever, promoting a dehumanising discourse about Palestinians and unprecedented, uncritical support for Israel.
While the growing shift in favour of Palestine — particularly due to the genocide in Gaza, which played a role in influencing political outcomes in several states during the last presidential election — passed by largely unnoticed by the Biden administration, it’s clear that the dissatisfaction with the government’s position remains unchanged.
The previous administration approved significant military aid to Israel, topping $17.9 billion in the first year of the genocide alone, enabling the occupation regime to carry on with its war. The result has been at least 160,000 Palestinian casualties — and rising, now that Israeli air strikes have been restarted — over a span of 15 months.
This blatant disregard for Palestinian lives and rights persists under the new administration of Donald Trump.
He has appointed some of the most staunchly anti-Palestinian, pro-Israel figures to key positions in his government. Trump did this despite making repeated, though often contradictory, promises to end the war and resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Instead, the US president approved the release of a shipment of heavy MK-84 bombs and passed a nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel.
Trump also introduced a new US policy that focused solely on “taking ownership” of Gaza and displacing its population. Although this position was inconsistently articulated, Trump ultimately, on 14 March, seemed to reverse it altogether. This left many wondering whether US foreign policy was truly independent or simply a reflection of Israel’s direct influence and that of its Washington lobby.
Unlike Biden, whose support for Israel has been consistent for decades, Trump’s stance has been confusing. The US news portal Axios reported on 5 March that talks between US official Adam Boehler and Hamas had taken place in Doha. In an interview with CNN four days later, Boehler made the striking statement that US and Israeli foreign policies should be seen as separate. “We’re the United States,” he said. “We’re not an agent of Israel.”
However, as analysts began mulling over this unprecedented language, it was soon revealed that Boehler was removed from his position, and the traditional, unwavering support for Israel quickly returned.
As US policymakers continue to swing between their unwavering commitment to Israel and the “America first” rhetoric, however, they must keep in mind that the American public is increasingly aware of events in Palestine, so masking Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights under the guise of “Israel’s right to defend itself” no longer pulls the wool over the public’s eyes. What’s more, the general public in America know that US and Israeli interests are not identical. The US seeks geopolitical dominance followed by stabilisation and so-called “containment”.
Israel, though, thrives on provocation, destabilisation and long-term conflicts.
Moreover, Palestine has become a domestic issue in the US, and the debate on Palestine and Israel is no longer one-sided. Growing support for Palestine means that more US voters will base their future political decisions on how the US engages with Israel and its disregard for Palestinian rights.
Finally, crackdowns on dissent, arrests of activists and funding cuts will only deepen the polarisation around this issue, rather than foster an open, informed and productive debate about a matter of great importance to millions of Americans. Such actions are eroding the reputation of the US as a democratic state very quickly, and undermining confidence in its commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
Palestine may not be the sole measure by which the Trump administration will be judged, nor the only factor shaping future voting patterns, but it is undoubtedly a crucial test. If the contradictions persist, and the US continues to provide unwavering military support for Israel, Palestine could become the defining issue that contributes to the unravelling of US foreign policy, not only in the Middle East, but across the rest of the world as well.
It is not too late for this trajectory to shift, or for some degree of balance to emerge. The lives of millions are at stake.
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