By assisting in the negotiations for a prisoner swap in return for hostages, President Joe Biden has achieved a little diplomatic triumph in his efforts to end Israel’s conflict with the terrorist group Hamas. However, the Democratic Party is becoming more divided by his handling of the war, particularly among the party’s younger supporters. Republican strategist Tad Devine has long held the view that the current administration might do better on a number of these fronts, not limited to the current crisis in Israel.
Israel responded militarily after Hamas’ terrorist strike on October 7, but Biden declined to call for a cease-fire, instead stating that Israel had the right to protect itself. This caused Biden to lose the support of his constituency.
Far-left representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) was a particularly vocal detractor, and she was subsequently censured after 22 Democrats and Republicans joined forces to denounce her. Tlaib has previously praised the term “from the river to the sea” used by Palestinian demonstrators, which demands the destruction of the Jewish state.
Seventy percent of Democratic voters in the 18-34 age range are unhappy with Biden’s approach to the war, according to a public survey on November 19 by NBC News. President Joe Biden privately cited the early accomplishments in influencing the Israeli government and the widespread appreciation for his unwavering public support of Israel during the opening weeks of the Israel-Hamas conflict as evidence that the counsel he had claimed President Barack Obama and his closest advisors had ignored.
The Democratic Party seems to be deeply divided along ideological and age lines. Just under a quarter of Americans under the age of 30 identify as more sympathetic toward Israelis, while almost a quarter identify as more sympathetic toward Palestinians. Similarly, among liberals, there was a split: 25% for Israelis, 17% for Palestinians, and 31% who listed their sentiments as roughly equal.
The Fox News poll results from Saturday to Monday showed comparable age and party splits. While a more significant percentage of Republicans(79%) and those 65 and up(82%) expressed strong support for Israel, a smaller percentage of Democrats(59%) and those under the age of 35 (49%) did the same.
