The tensions between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
over nuclear negotiations with Iran haven't changed the favorable opinion most Americans have of the Jewish state, a new poll shows.
But
the Gallup survey shows support for the longtime U.S. ally has dropped among Democrats since last year.
According to Gallup, 70 percent of Americans view Israel favorably, while 62 percent say they sympathize more with the Israelis than the Palestinians in the Mideast conflict – figures mostly unchanged from a year ago.
The pollster said the results suggest neither the friction between President Barack Obama and Netanyahu, nor last year's 50-day conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, have turned Americans away from their favorable view of Israel.
"A key reason Americans' sympathy for Israel has solidified at a sizable majority level is that Republicans' support for the Jewish state has increased considerably," according to the pollster.
More than 80 percent of Republicans expressed sympathy with Israel, compared with 48 percent of Democrats; GOP support for the Jewish state has grown 35 percent over the last 20 years, while Democrats' and independents' support increased a more modest 10 percent and 21 percent respectively during the period, the poll finds.
Nevertheless, the percentage of Democrats sympathizing with Israel fell 10 points to 48 percent from last year, with Gallup speculating might reflect the tensions between Obama and Netanyahu.
Netanyahu plans to address Congress March 3 at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner. The White House
has bristled at the plan, while some Democratic lawmakers plan to boycott the speech.
According to Gallup, Israel's public image in the United States has been fairly strong since 2005, with an average 68 percent of Americans viewing it favorably.
As for Americans' impression of the Palestinian Authority, the official governing body of the Palestinians, the percentage viewing it favorably has averaged 17 percent since 2000, according to Gallup.
The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
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