Survey reveals 49% U.S. voters see Netanyahu as obstacle to Israel-Palestine peace
Washington: In light of a newly proposed ceasefire deal from the White House and recent comments by President Joe Biden suggesting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the Gaza conflict to maintain power, a new Data for Progress survey indicates a significant portion of U.S. likely voters view Netanyahu as a major barrier to peace between Israel and Palestine.
The survey, conducted from June 5 to 6, reveals that 49% of respondents believe Netanyahu is either a major or moderate obstacle to achieving peace, while only 18% think he is not an obstacle at all.
When asked about the primary responsibility for the lack of a permanent ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, 38% of voters believe both Netanyahu and Hamas share equal responsibility. This view is particularly strong among swing voters, who see equal blame on both sides by a 19-point margin over blaming Hamas alone.
The survey also explored voter opinions on Biden’s three-phase ceasefire proposal announced on May 31. A significant majority of 64% of voters express their support for the proposal. This includes a +37 net support from Independents and +44 from swing voters, highlighting widespread approval across various political demographics.
The ceasefire plan initially faced challenges as reports indicate Biden announced the three-phase proposal without prior agreement from Netanyahu. This led to mixed responses from Israeli officials regarding their support for the plan. Netanyahu has since stressed that Israel would not commit to a permanent end to the war, aiming instead to dismantle Hamas’ military capabilities. Despite this, the UN Security Council has voiced support for the proposal.
Voters were also asked if the U.S. should withdraw military aid from Israel if its government rejects the ceasefire proposal. A majority of 53% support withdrawing military aid under these conditions. While Republicans are the only major subgroup that does not support this measure, 35% of them still express some level of support. Other subgroups show net support, including +49 from Democrats, +17 from Independents, +40 from voters under 45, and +25 from swing voters.
These findings coincide with public statements from key figures such as U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has criticized Netanyahu as a "major obstacle” to peace and called for new leadership in Israel. Public opinion in Israel also reflects increased resentment towards Netanyahu since the war began, with many Israelis believing his decisions are politically motivated rather than in the national interest.
The survey results indicate that American voters are increasingly critical of Netanyahu’s role in obstructing peace and support measures that align with international ceasefire efforts.
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UP: Misled by GPS navigation, car falls into river from partially constructed bridge, 3 dead
Bareilly (UP), Nov 24: Three people died when their car fell into the Ramganga river from a partially constructed bridge here on Sunday, police said, adding that they suspect the driver was misled by its navigation system into taking the unsafe route.
The accident occurred around 10 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road when the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj in the Badaun district, they said.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the system," Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam said.
The driver was using a navigation system and did not realise that the bridge was unsafe, driving the car off the damaged section, the police said.
There were no safety barriers or warning signs on the approach to the damaged bridge, leading to the fatal accident, Shivam said.
Upon receiving information, police teams from Faridpur, Bareilly and Dataganj police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the vehicle and the bodies from the river, Shivam added.
The circle officer said that bodies had been sent for post-mortem. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024
