Almost as many believe that the Israeli prime minister is “guilty of war crimes in Gaza,” the poll found
Some 49% of Americans think that the US should arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes, according to a recent poll. After three years of war in the Middle East, Israel’s once-solid support in the US has cratered.
Asked whether the US should enforce an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest, 49% of respondents answered “yes” in an Economist/YouGov poll published on Tuesday, while 27% said “no” and 23% were unsure.
The ICC issued the warrant in 2024, accusing him of using “starvation as a method of warfare,” crimes against humanity, and intentionally directing attacks against Gaza’s civilian population. However, the ICC lacks any means of enforcing the warrant, as neither Israel nor the US recognize the court’s authority.
Surveying 1,500 American adults, the poll found that 47% believe Netanyahu is “guilty of war crimes in Gaza,” while 24% disagree and 29% are unsure.
In almost three years since Israel began bombarding Gaza in response to a surprise attack by Hamas militants, the conflict has spiraled into a multi-front confrontation. Israel has struck Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, and is currently embroiled in a major regional war with Iran. The conflict has eroded Israel’s standing in the US, with a Gallup poll in February finding that, for the first time in history, more Americans sympathize with the Palestinians than the Israelis.
In the US, support for Israel has traditionally been strongest among Republicans and the elderly. However, 43% of over-65s now back arresting Netanyahu, according to Tuesday’s poll. Support for the Israeli prime minister’s arrest is lowest among self-described ‘MAGA’ Republicans, at 21%.
The Israeli leader arrived in Washington this week to meet with US President Donald Trump and attend the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, an avowed supporter of Israel. Prior to Netanyahu’s arrival, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that he would explore the legal possibility of arresting the Israeli PM when he travels to the city for the UN General Assembly in September.
Mamdani later acknowledged that he would have no legal authority to enforce the ICC warrant, and called on the Trump administration to do so instead.
“I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague,” Mamdani said, referring to the Dutch city where the ICC is based. “He’s a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court, and what you will find is that is an opinion that is held by many, purely because of what his actions have wrought over these last many years.”
Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Netanyahu dismissed the ICC case against him as “bogus,” and accused Mandani of “fomenting hate” against Jews. “I’m going to New York,” he told Fox host Sean Hannity. “I’m going to speak the truth in front of this hate-spewing elected official who’s pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others. He’s turning them against New York Jews.”
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