Majority of Democratic Voters Demand Harsh Sanctions on Israel over Gaza Massacres
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A new YouGov-IMEU poll reveals a sweeping shift among Democratic voters, with most demanding sweeping US sanctions against Israeli regime as global outrage grows over a genocidal war on Gaza.
A recent poll by YouGov for the Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) and Gen-Z for Change shows that 65% of Democratic primary voters favor imposing sanctions on Israel.
The survey questioned more than 1,200 likely Democratic voters and found deep disapproval of US military and financial backing for Israel.
According to the findings, 72% of respondents believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, and 75% oppose renewing Washington’s annual weapons funding agreement with Tel Aviv.
Support for punitive measures was equally strong: 76% backed cutting credit access through Israeli bonds, 75% endorsed banning imports of Israeli-made arms and cybersecurity products, and 62% supported barring Israeli officials and soldiers from entering the United States.
Margaret DeReus, executive director of the IMEU Policy Project, said voters were making their message unmistakable.
“As we all witness the ongoing genocide being committed by Israel against Palestinians with our tax dollars, Democratic voters are saying clearly the time has come for comprehensive accountability measures against Israel,” she said.
Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American woman in the US Congress, echoed the call for punitive action.
“World leaders must impose economic sanctions and a complete arms embargo immediately,” she wrote, describing sanctions as “necessary to end the genocide and apartheid in Palestine.”
The poll reflects a widening generational divide inside the Democratic Party.
While older factions continue to defend decades of US support for Israel, younger voters and progressives are increasingly rejecting what they see as American complicity in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians.
This shift comes as US lawmakers face growing dissent; a majority of Senate Democrats voted in July to block new arms sales to Israel.
Despite Israel’s extensive lobbying, even some of its traditional allies in Congress are now questioning the moral cost of unconditional support.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a select group of social media influencers, urging them to help counter Israel’s collapsing image worldwide.
His plea came as Israel’s army continued its devastating assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—since October 2023.
The bombardment has reduced much of Gaza to rubble, triggering famine and disease under an ongoing blockade that has left the enclave unlivable.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and formerwar minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice, marking an unprecedented level of international isolation for the regime.
