Biden Faces Intra-Party Division and Public Criticism Over Gaza Genocide Handling

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll has uncovered deep rifts among Democratic voters concerning the U.S. administration's approach to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the nationwide campus protests it. Alarmingly, 44% of Democratic registered voters disapprove of the government's response, a substantial figure given the razor-thin margin in the previous presidential election and the potential for another keenly contested race.?

The administration faces intra-party backlash for persistently arming Israel despite staggering Palestinian civilian casualties, estimated by Israeli sources to exceed 35,000 deaths. While?a shipment of air-dropped munitions was temporarily delayed?last week over concerns about a possible Rafah invasion in southern Gaza, the overall weapons pipeline to Israel has continued unabated.

Widespread campus demonstrations denouncing the war, some turning violent as university officials deployed police to disperse protesters, have undermined the administration's 2020 campaign vow of restoring stability after the previous turbulent presidency. Opposition forces have sought political advantage by actively courting disgruntled voters across diverse demographics, including Jewish Americans, youth, and others disillusioned with the administration's performance.

The poll reveals?only?34% of registered voters approve of the government's handling of the Gaza conflict, with approval ratings of 53% among Democrats, 31% among independents, and 22% among Republicans. Anti-war rallies have spilled beyond campuses, with protesters persistently targeting the administration at public events nationwide for months.?

Conducted online,?the survey sampled 3,934 U.S. adults, including 3,208 registered voters, with margins of error of around?2?percentage points for all registered voters, 3 points for registered Republicans and Democrats, and 4 points for independents.

Political analysts reviewing the data deemed the Gaza issue a “stone-cold loser” for the administration, suggesting a hemorrhaging of support across the political spectrum.

Among Democratic registered voters who disapprove of the Gaza response,?a mere?77% indicated they would vote for the incumbent in November, compared to 93% of those approving of crisis management. While these dissatisfied voters may not necessarily defect to the opposition, they could opt out of voting or cast ballots for an independent candidate whose campaign secured 13% backing among registered voters polled.

Analysts cautioned that the Gaza crisis could severely undercut the administration's prospects in pivotal battleground states with sizable Arab-American populations where an independent contender appears on the ballot.

The survey also exposed widespread public uncertainty regarding the preferred U.S. policy towards Israel, with 39% of Democrats and 43% of independents professing ignorance of which party's stance is superior.

Views on the campus protests were polarized, with 38% of registered Democrats endorsing the pro-Palestinian demonstrations and an equal 38% opposing them. Independents leaned against the protests at 58% opposed versus 23% supportive, while Republicans near-unanimously rejected the protests at 81% against and a mere 8% approved.

Moreover, 33% of Democrats construed the protests as reflecting anti-Semitic sentiments, contrasting with 37% who disagreed. Among independents, 45% perceived anti-Semitism while 30% did not, and a resounding 67% of Republicans agreed the protests were anti-Semitic versus only 14% who disagreed.?

Efforts to attract Jewish voters through policies like relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem have drawn criticism for implying disloyalty among Jewish members of the opposition party.

Some partisan leaders expressed confidence in continuing to grow their party's share of the Jewish vote, citing upward trends since 2016.

However, scholars studying the Jewish-American electorate voiced skepticism that the Gaza conflict or protests would precipitate a large-scale exodus from the incumbent party among Jewish voters,?particularly?secular Jews likely to remain aligned with the current administration over the opposition.

Regarding young voters,?analysts suggested that notwithstanding potential disillusionment with current policies,?they?would ultimately back the incumbent over the opposition in the presidential election.

In conclusion, the poll underscores significant intra-party divisions among Democrats, widespread public ambiguity surrounding the desired U.S. policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the potential for the Gaza crisis to sway voter behavior and campaign tactics in the forthcoming presidential contest.