CNN Data Guru Highlights ‘Generational Changes’ in How Americans View Israel

Americans have undergone a “mammoth” shift in how they view Israel, with the country’s net favorability dropping to negative double digits in President Donald Trump’s second term, according to CNN data guru Harry Enten.

CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten joined host John Berman on Friday and highlighted “generational changes” in perceptions of Israel, which has made support for the country now a potential negative for campaigns.

“These are some absolutely huge mammoth changes, generational changes that we’re talking about. I think there are a lot of Republicans [who say], oh, we’ll be able to run against these anti-Israeli Democrats once we hit the general election because the general electorate feels very differently from the Democratic base. But the general electorate, look at these numbers on Israel, the net favorability, they’re all negative,” Enten said.

Net favorability for Israel has been dropping since Spring, he noted, with double digit negatives in four different polls. In a Fox News survey, the country’s net favorability sits at negative 11 points. An Ipsos poll gave the country a similar negative 10 points.

The net favorability plummeted more than negative 20 points in polling from Pew Research and Marquette University Law School.

Enten declared the “general electorate has turned against Israel,” fueled by the country’s strikes on Gaza, which left thousands of civilians dead as Israel vowed to wipe out the terror group Hamas, and the ongoing war with Iran.

What makes the latest numbers most shocking, Enten added, is how they compare to Trump’s first term in the White House.

“This trend line is unbelievable,” he said.

In July 2018, Israel’s net favorability was plus 51 points, while today it sits at negative 16 points, according to aggregate polling.

“Wow!” Berman said in reaction to the numbers.

Enten highlighted more numbers from Washington Post/Ipsos, showing 55% of Americans support lowering or ending military assistance to Israel.

He also noted that number doesn’t change much between non-college educated respondents (51%) and those who are college-educated (62%), showing the problem is widespread across ideologies and classes.

“This isn’t just an issue among white liberals and Democratic primaries. No, no, no, this is true across the educational divide. Even when we are looking towards a general electorate, the majority of Americans believe that military assistance to Israel should either be reduced or ended,” Enten said.

Watch above via CNN.

Jason Cohen contributed to this report.

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