Young Republicans sour on Israel as wars on Gaza, Iran complicate support for Tel Aviv: Report

A growing number of young Republicans in the United States are turning against the Israeli regime, raising questions about whether the Republican Party’s long-standing support for Tel Aviv can still be assumed, a report says.

American website Axios published the report on Sunday, noting that the shift comes as the regime’s genocidal military aggression in the Gaza Strip, as well as its most recent joint aggression with the US against Iran and its tense aftermath, have placed new strains on Republican backing for Tel Aviv.

"Something is absolutely brewing among young Republicans," said Shibley Telhami, director of the University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll and professor of government and politics.

Polling points to generational divide

Recent surveys cited by Axios indicate that younger Republicans are significantly more critical of the regime than older members of the party.

An April poll by the Pew Research Center found that 40 percent of Republicans held an unfavorable view of Tel Aviv. Among Republicans aged 18 to 49, the share rose to 57 percent, compared with 25 percent among Republicans aged 50 and older.

A June poll by Quinnipiac University found that one in five Republicans believed the United States was too supportive of the regime, triple the level recorded after Tel Aviv launched a war of genocide on Gaza on October 7, 2023.

Another survey by the University of Maryland Critical Issues Poll found that only 46 percent of Republicans viewed the genocide as "justified self-defense." Among Republicans aged 18 to 34, support fell to 22 percent.

Netanyahu’s strategy faces new challenges

The website noted that for years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to compensate for declining Democratic support by strengthening ties with Republicans.

However, according to Axios, recent polling and criticism from prominent conservative figures suggest that the strategy is encountering difficulties, particularly among younger Republicans.

The report said support has been further strained by what it called disagreements between Netanyahu and the administration of US President Donald Trump over efforts to end the war on Iran.

Influential conservative voices criticize support for Israel

The backlash has been amplified by several high-profile "America First" anti-interventionist figures, including Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly, and former Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Carlson rapped Netanyahu for "manipulating" Trump into joining the war on Iran and called the US president a "slave" to the Israeli premier.

US Vice President JD Vance also criticized Israeli officials, who opposed a recently signed memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Vance said if he were a member of the Israeli cabinet, "I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world."

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