The “Iron Swords” war in Gaza has come to an end. The living hostages are back home, soldiers have been reunited with their families, and Israelis are hoping for quieter times ahead. Yet while the physical fighting may have ended (for now), the struggle for Israel’s global image is far from over. 

A recent Gallup poll, comparing data from 2023 to 2024, highlighted a trend that clearly did not begin with the war, but was certainly amplified by it: a generational gap in American support for Israel. Among Americans aged 55 and older, favorability toward Israel fell by 3 percentage points, from 74% in 2023 to 71% in 2024, whereas among younger adults, support dropped from 64% to 38%, a decline nearly nine times sharper. 

These numbers leave no room for interpretation: the problem is not merely the decline in support among Americans following the war, but rather the striking gap between the generations in how Israel is perceived.

So what is the underlying cause for this concerning divide? Many reasons could be argued, but one thing that is clearly different for younger Americans........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)