Severe assessment - Germany's support for Israel's actions in Gaza is diminishing
After Hamas's assault on October 7, 2023, Israel has been engaging in airstrikes and ground operations against the militant group in Gaza. In a Forsa survey conducted for stern in November 2023, 62% of respondents supported the military action, while 31% opposed it. However, opinions have drastically shifted over the past few months.
Israel: A Change of Tune
Recent findings from a Forsa survey, commissioned for stern and RTL, now indicate that only 33% of people endorse Israel's military operations, while 61% are against them. Potential factors possibly influencing this shift in sentiment include the increasingly high death toll and the growing hardships faced by the Palestinian population in Gaza.
Notably, across different age groups and electorates of SPD, Green, CDU/CSU, and AfD, a clear majority disapprove of Israel's operations. FDP supporters, on the other hand, appear more divided on the matter, while BSW voters demonstrate the least understanding with 85% dissenting.
The survey was conducted by the market and opinion research institute Forsa on behalf of stern and RTL Germany on May 30 and 31, 2023. Sample size: 1003 respondents. The survey has an accuracy of +/- 3 percentage points.
Read also:
Despite the initial support for Israel's military actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, a recent Forsa survey reveals a significant shift in public opinion. Now, only 33% of Germans endorse Israel's operations, while a majority of 61% oppose them, suggesting that Germany's support for Israel's actions in Gaza is decreasing. This change in sentiment may be attributed to the rising number of casualties and the worsening living conditions in Gaza, which are increasingly viewed as disproportionate to Hamas's actions, considered by some as acts of a terrorist organization based in Gaza.
