The U.S. Public Opinion on Gaza and Policy Implications: An Empirical Analysis
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On February 4, 2025, U.S. President Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza shocked the world. This study aims to interpret the policy shift by analyzing evolving U.S. public opinion on Gaza. Using Google Trends data from September 2018 to March 2025, it constructs innovative time series variables to capture the U.S. public agenda. The analysis reveals a structural shift in public sentiment beginning in October 2023. Prior to that, opinion was largely reactive to isolated extreme events. Afterward, discourse was driven by polarized narratives: (far)-left slogans such as “Free Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea,” and far-right apocalyptic themes, proxied by interest in Jesus’ Second Coming. Moderate positions—such as “Gaza Genocide” and “Stand with Israel”—are generally marginal. These findings suggest a potential trajectory toward radical U.S. policy on the Israel–Palestine conflict. Future research should explore whether other Trump–Vance administration policies also reflect this apocalyptic public outlook.
