A recent survey revealed that over 80% of American voters fear the U.S. could be dragged into the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
What Happened: The poll conducted by Quinnipiac University revealed that around 84% of respondents were either “very” or “somewhat” worried about potential U.S. involvement in the Middle East conflict.
Political affiliations played a role in these concerns, with Republicans expressing significantly more worry than Democrats. Approximately 52% of Republicans voiced serious concerns, while only 30% of Democrats did so.
“American voters watching the cauldron of the Middle East reaching a furious boiling point are fearful the war, so far confined to Israel and Gaza, will metastasize to include U.S. troops,” said Tim Malloy, a Quinnipiac polling analyst.
The rise in antisemitism is another issue troubling American voters. According to the poll, 75% of respondents consider anti-Jewish discrimination to be a serious problem, marking a record-high response.
The poll also revealed that humanitarian aid for Gaza’s civilians is largely supported, with 71% backing U.S. aid. However, only 51% favor sending military assistance to Israel, with support varying significantly based on political views and age.
As per the poll results, aid for Ukraine saw similar support, with around 53% approval. This news comes as President Joe Biden announced an additional $425 million in aid for Ukraine on Friday, continuing U.S. backing of the country’s war effort against Russia.
The poll was conducted between Oct. 26-30 with 1,610 self-identified registered voters nationwide.
Why It Matters: This came after FBI Director Christopher Wray earlier this week expressed increasing concerns about the threat of terror attacks in the U.S. inspired by recent Hamas activities in Israel. Although Wray acknowledged there is currently no concrete evidence hinting at Hamas planning attacks on U.S. soil, he emphasized that such a possibility cannot be ruled out.
Israeli assaults in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 9,227 Palestinians, while Israel has lost over 1,400 lives since the onset of the war on Oct. 7, according to official figures.
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