BETHLEHEM / PNN/ Two years after the Gaza war began, new opinion polls reveal a striking shift in public sentiment among both Palestinians and Americans. Ideological rhetoric is giving way to growing realism, accompanied by a deep sense of political and human exhaustion over the prolonged conflict said Dr. Nabil Kukali – President of the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion.
Declining U.S. Support for Israel and Rising Sympathy for Palestinians
A survey conducted by The New York Times in cooperation with Siena College between 22 and 27 September 2025, based on a sample of 1,313 American voters, shows a dramatic change in public opinion towards the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
For the first time since 1998, 35% of Americans said they sympathised with Palestinians, compared with 34% with Israel. Around 60% opposed providing further military or economic aid to Israel.
In another sign of shifting moral perception, 40% of respondents said they believe the Israeli army deliberately targets civilians in Gaza — nearly double the percentage recorded in 2023. The poll also showed a sharp partisan divide: 54% of Democrats expressed sympathy with Palestinians compared with only 13% with Israel, while 64% of Republicans continued to support Israel.
The younger generation remains the most critical of Israel, with seven in ten Americans under 30 opposing continued U.S. support. Analysts say the findings reflect a growing “moral fatigue” within American society toward an open-ended war, driven by images of civilian casualties and Gaza’s humanitarian suffering.
A New Palestinian Realism: A War Without a Winner
Meanwhile, a survey by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion (PCPO), led by Dr. Nabil Kukali, conducted in Gaza between 8 and 12 October 2025 on a sample of 301 participants, found a clear move toward political realism.
About 71.1% of respondents said the war produced no winners, with both sides emerging as losers. Some 64.1% said the conflict brought destruction and human suffering without tangible political gains, while 53.8% expressed cautious relief after the war ended, compared with 27% who reported feelings of sadness, fear, and psychological exhaustion.
The priorities for the next phase were overwhelmingly humanitarian: 41.5% chose Gaza’s reconstruction as the top priority, followed by humanitarian assistance and civilian protection (20.3%), and national reconciliation (13%).
When evaluating international roles, 83.5% praised Egypt’s mediation efforts to end the fighting, while only 44.5% viewed the U.S. role positively. A majority of 54.2% said they did not trust the United States. Despite the hardships, 40.9% expected gradual improvement in living conditions in the coming period.
Dr. Kukali said the findings reflect “a growing sense of realism and collective awareness of the heavy price of war.” He added that the conflict “is no longer seen as a heroic struggle but as a human and economic burden threatening the future of coming generations,” indicating a shift in Palestinian attitudes toward reconstruction and stability rather than symbolic victory.
A Shared Human Awareness Between Washington and Gaza
Despite the political and geographical distance between the two societies, the surveys highlight a notable moral and humanitarian convergence. Americans, from a position of power, have begun to question the purpose of war, while Palestinians, from a position of suffering, recognise that its continuation brings neither security nor dignity.
In the United States, younger generations and progressive elites have reframed the debate from “who is right?” to “what is the cost of war?” In Gaza, public discourse has shifted from defying occupation to focusing on survival and rebuilding everyday life.
Analysts say this overlap between the “consciousness of the victim” and the “consciousness of the observer” presents an opportunity to rebuild a more human understanding of the conflict. As American empathy meets Palestinian aspirations for a dignified life, dialogue may increasingly replace violence — making peace a more realistic choice than ever before.
Towards a New Awareness
Both surveys point to a parallel shift in Palestinian and American public sentiment — a reassessment of the meaning and purpose of war. As U.S. support for Israel wanes, Palestinians are turning to political pragmatism and practical solutions.
This dual transformation may mark the beginning of a new phase defined by the principle of “humanity first” — a stage that transcends the old narratives of victory and defeat, paving the way for a more just and humane vision for the region’s future.
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