Democrats and Republicans are divided over Israel’s responsibility for the war

By LINLEY SANDERS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Many American voters worry that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could escalate into an all-out regional war, a new poll shows. About half of voters are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the possibility of a wider war in the region.

Although there are concerns about the escalation of the conflict, according to the survey AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Researchfewer voters — about 4 in 10 — worry about the United States being drawn into a war in the Middle East. This survey was conducted before Israeli strike on military bases in Iran on Friday.

The conflict in the Middle East has become a major theme of the election campaign, as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris an attempt to win over Muslim and Jewish voters in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. And while Democrats and Republicans are equally concerned about the possibility of the war expanding, they disagree about who is to blame for its recent escalation and how the United States should engage in the future.

Disagreements about the level of responsibility of the Israeli government

About 6 in 10 voters say the Palestinian group Hamas, the Iranian government and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah share a “significant” amount of responsibility for the escalation of the Middle East war. About 4 in 10 voters think the Israeli government bears a “great deal” of responsibility, and only about 2 in 10 say the U.S. government bears a “great deal” of responsibility. The United States, Canada and the European Union have recognized Hamas as a terrorist organization.

But there is a big split between the parties over whether the Israeli government bears “major” responsibility for the escalation of the war. About 6 in 10 Democrats say they do — similar to the share of Democrats who say Hamas is “a great deal” of responsibility — while only about a quarter of Republicans say the Israeli government is “a great deal” responsible.

Voters support sanctions against Iran, but do not send in US troops

Voters generally support economic sanctions against Iran, which could hamper support for its proxy groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza. The majority, 55%, are in favor of imposing sanctions. They are almost evenly split on whether the US should provide arms to the Israeli military, with voters more likely to oppose sending public funds to aid the Israeli military than to support it.

Deploying American troops to aid Israel’s military does not gain support among voters, regardless of party affiliation. About half of voters oppose the deployment of American troops to aid the Israeli army. Only 2 in 10 voters favor the deployment of US troops to aid Israel, and the same proportion have a neutral view.

Many believe that the US is doing everything it can for a ceasefire

The US still insists on this any movement on short-term ceasefire proposalsdespite falling in the past and little expectation of immediate breakthroughs on the eve of the elections.