Is US Support For The US Decreasing? (Updated: Gallup--and Rasmussen--Says The Opposite)

That appears to be the result of a recent poll done by The Israel Project that asked Americans and Europeans about their views of Israel:

One of the questions that the poll presented was "Does the U.S. need to support Israel?" In August of 2009, 63% of Americans polled said that the U.S. does need to support Israel. In June of this year, 58% of respondents shared the same view; by July only 51% of respondents said the U.S. needed to support Israel.

Another question posed by the pole was "Is the Israeli government committed to peace with the Palestinians?" In December of 2007, 66% of respondents said that the government, then led by Ehud Olmert, was committed to peace with the Palestinians. In June of 2009, a month after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House, only 46% of Americans said they believed the Netanyahu government was committed to peace.

In the months of May and June, there appeared to be a positive change in American public opinion on the matter, with 53% of respondents saying they believe Netanyahu seeks peace. However, in July, only 45% of American said they felt Netanyahu was committed to the peace process. Thirty-nine percent responded that Netanyahu and his administration are not committed to seeking peace with the Palestinians.

While the news is not good, the decrease in support of Israeli is not across the board, but rather is focused in one particular segment of Americans:

Greenberg has analyzed the poll results and says that the section of the American public where Israel is most rapidly losing support is among Liberal Americans who align themselves with the Democratic Party.

This is not surprising--and is a consideration as the November elections approach.

UPDATED: Hat tip to Muqata for pointing me to the Gallup Poll that says Support for Israel in U.S. at 63%, Near Record High:

For the first time since 1991, more than 6 in 10 Americans -- 63% -- say their sympathies in the Middle East situation lie more with the Israelis than with the Palestinians. Fifteen percent side more with the Palestinians, down slightly from recent years, while a combined 23% favor both sides, favor neither side, or have no opinion.

The latest findings come from Gallup's annual World Affairs survey, updated Feb. 1-3, 2010. In the same poll, Americans were asked to give their opinions of 20 countries, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Israel's 67% favorable rating ranks among the highest and the Palestinian Authority's 20% among the lowest. However, current favorability toward Israel is similar to where it has been for the last several years, and favorability toward the Palestinians is on the high end of the range since 2000.

And while we're at it, here's Rasmussen:

1* Generally speaking, is Israel an ally of the United States, an enemy of the United States or somewhere in-between?

60% Ally
4% Enemy
31% Somewhere in between
6% Not sure

2* A year from now will America’s relationship with Israel be better than it is today, worse than it is today or about the same?

10% Better
34% Worse
45% About the same
12% Not sure

Technorati Tag: Democrats.