Majority of Americans support Israel’s operation in Gaza

Republicans and males are most likely to believe it’s justified, CNN poll finds

By Aaron Kalman 19 November 2012, 10:46 pm

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Aaron Kalman is a former writer and breaking news editor for the Times of Israel

Defense Minister Ehud Barak (left) with US Ambassador Daniel Shapiro next to an Iron Dome battery on Sunday (photo credit: Matty Stern/US Embassy Tel Aviv/Flash90)

A majority of Americans support Israel’s operation in Gaza, a CNN poll found, while 25 percent said military action against Hamas to end rocket fire was unjustified.

More than 1,000 people were interviewed in the CNN/ORC International poll; 57% of them said the operation against Hamas was “justified,” 25% said it was unjustified and the rest had no opinion.

The poll showed there was a significant difference between Democrats and Republicans, CNN polling director Keating Holland said. While almost three quarters of Republicans thought Israel’s actions were justified, only four in 10 Democrats felt that way, he told CNN.

Holland also noted the support for Israel’s actions was higher among men than women, and that the younger generation was less likely to say the military operation was justified.

General sympathy also leaned in Israel’s favor, a trend Holland said was “nothing new.”

However, it seemed Americans cared less about the situation in Gaza now than they did during the last week of the 2009 Cast Lead operation.

While 18% now said they had no opinion on the matter, in 2009 only 6% didn’t formulate an opinion. During Cast Lead, 63% supported Israel and 31% said the military operation in Gaza was unjustified.