A poll has shown that a majority of Americans oppose sending troops to defend Israel in the event of an external attack. The Washington Post reported that the survey conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs revealed that 55% of Americans oppose sending U.S. forces to defend Israel if it is attacked by its neighbors, while 41% support such action.
Republicans showed greater support for sending troops, with 55% in favor, compared to 35% among Democrats and independents. The poll was conducted online from June 21 to July 1, prior to the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr.
The results of this poll come amid anticipation of a response targeting Israel, which has claimed responsibility for Shukr's assassination and declined to comment on the targeting of Haniyeh in Tehran. The newspaper noted that the percentage of Americans supporting troop deployment to defend Israel if attacked by its neighbors (41%) is the lowest since the Chicago Council began asking this question in 2010, as the figure rose from 47% in 2010 to 53% in 2021.
It also pointed out that despite Israel and the U.S. describing each other as close allies, the two countries do not have a formal agreement obligating the U.S. to defend Israel, or vice versa. The use of U.S. troops on the ground to defend Israel against an external enemy has not been seriously proposed recently, but it remains a sensitive issue for American public opinion.
The Washington Post emphasized that the poll results align with indications that American public opinion appears to be shifting regarding Israel, which has been waging war on Gaza for over 300 days, resulting in more than 39,000 casualties and significant destruction of infrastructure, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian disaster. A Gallup poll published last March indicated that most Americans (55%) do not support the Israeli warfare, compared to 36% who do.
