 "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) hands over a letter to US President Donald Trump as they meets at the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, DC. AFP")
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to take action against “vilification and demonisation” of the country through social media campaigns that are resulting in a drop in support for Israel among Americans, especially Democrats.
When asked about opinion polls showing a significant shift from Israeli backing that has been placed in the US for a long time, Netanyahu said, “I think there’s been a concerted effort to spread vilification and demonisation against Israel on social media.”
“It’s directed, it’s funded. It is malignant. We intend to fight it, because nothing defeats lies like the truth, and we shall spread the truth for everyone to see once people are exposed to the facts, we win hands down. That’s what we intend to do in the coming months and years,” he added.
The prime minister’s comments came during his visit to the White House and subsequent meeting with President Donald Trump, where the two discussed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release.
They also came amid Zohran Mamdani’s recent win in the Democratic primary for New York City mayor, a victory commentators say was partly driven by his outspoken support for Palestinian rights and his criticism of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
What do polls show?
A number of surveys have shown a sharp decline in support among Americans for Israel, especially among Democratic Party supporters who have been accusing the country of over its war in Gaza.
For instance, a March Gallup poll found that less than half of the US public sympathised with Israel’s position. The figures were the lowest ones recorded since polling started over the Israel-Hamas war.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOnly 38 per cent of Democratic voters backed the Israeli cause, a steep fall from a survey taken in 2013 that showed 36 per cent of Democrats were sympathetic towards Israel.
Other polls have reflected similar trends, prompting concerns about the long-term stability of the traditionally strong bipartisan US support for Israel.