Americans view of Israel is getting worse by the day

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 15, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

The Brand Israel group has commissioned regular surveys in its bid to promote the image of Israel as a key ally to America in the Middle East.

While more Americans said they are more knowledgeable about `Israel than before, larger numbers said they had a negative opinion of the country. Less than two-thirds (62 percent) of people surveyed in 2017 have a positive view of Israel, compared to just over three-quarters (76 percent) in 2010.

Although a majority of  Americans still view Israel favorably, support is declining among younger Americans and especially among the black and Latino population.

“Shared values are the bedrock of our relationship, and young Americans do not believe Israel shares our values,” Fern Oppenheim, one of the group’s co-founders, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “That’s a huge issue. We have to have a narrative about the heart and soul and humanity of the Israelis.”

The survey was carried out between September and October 2016 by polling firm Global Strategy Group on behalf of Brand Israel, and sampled 2,600 Americans across a range of demographic groups.

It found that while older Americans, Republicans and men were more likely to view Israel approvingly, the opposite was the case for Millennials, Democrats, women, as well as African-American and Latino Americans.

Though most people in each demographic surveyed had a positive view of Israel, that number had declined from 73 percent to 60 percent among Democrats, and by 20 points for Latinos and African-Americans.

Previous polls on American attitudes to Israel have found views remaining fairly consistent, with a February 2016 Gallup Poll finding that 63 per cent of Americans saying they have more sympathy with Israelis than Palestinians, when quizzed on their views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Conversely, U.S. President Donald Trump enjoys popular support from the Israeli public, with a Pew Research poll released this week finding that Israel was one of two countries, the other one being Russia, where the U.S. president is viewed favorably.

In a May trip to Israel, Trump said he had a “a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace” to the region.