Should US troops defend Israel if it is attacked? Most Americans say no, poll finds
Most Americans do not support sending U.S. troops to help defend Israel if it is attacked by Iran or a neighboring country, according to a new poll, which comes during a period of heightened tension in the region.
The latest poll from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs found 56% of respondents opposed sending the U.S. military to aid Israel in the event that it is attacked by Iran.
Forty-two percent of respondents, on the other hand, said they would favor an American military response, including 53% of Republicans, 34% of Democrats and 42% of independents.
The poll — conducted between June 21 and July 1 — sampled 2,106 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 2.3 percentage points.
A majority, 55%, also opposed deploying American troops to defend Israel should it be attacked by a neighboring country, which would include Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
Forty-one percent of respondents said they would support sending U.S. troops in this scenario, which included 55% of Republicans and 35% of Democrats and independents. All three groups favored sending U.S. troops at lower levels than in previous years.
The only scenario in which a majority of Americans would approve sending the military to Israel would be in the case of a peacekeeping mission, according to the poll.
Fifty-four percent of respondents said they would favor sending American troops to be part of “an international peacekeeping force to enforce a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.”
Democrats were most in support of sending troops in this scenario, with 62% in favor. Fifty-one percent of independents and 48% of Republicans agreed.
The poll was conducted a few weeks before tensions escalated between Israel and Iran following the recent assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, which Iran blamed Israel for, according to the BBC.
In anticipation of a possible Iranian attack on Israel, the U.S. has boosted its military presence in the region, including by dispatching a fighter jet squadron and relocating an aircraft carrier to be closer by, according to the Associated Press.
Matthew Miller, a State Department spokesperson, said during an Aug. 5 news briefing that the U.S. government had signaled to Iran that it would defend Israel in the event of such an attack.
He added an attack is not inevitable and that diplomatic measures are being pursued.
The poll also comes as Israel continues its now 10-month war against Hamas in Gaza, which has been ongoing since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack against Israel, which left around 1,200 Israelis and foreigners dead.
The conflict has left around 40,000 Palestinians dead, most of whom were civilians, and forced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents from their homes, according to Reuters.
This story was originally published August 7, 2024 at 1:36 PM with the headline "Should US troops defend Israel if it is attacked? Most Americans say no, poll finds."