A new national survey points to deep divisions in the United States over Israel’s war in Gaza and the legal case surrounding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The specific finding drawing attention is a YouGov poll published July 23 showing that 47% of Americans believe Netanyahu is guilty of war crimes in Gaza. The result lands as Netanyahu prepares for another U.S. trip and as debate intensifies over whether American officials should respond to an International Criminal Court warrant issued last year.
Poll finding puts a number on U.S. views of Netanyahu
YouGov published the survey result on July 23, based on responses from 7,219 U.S. adults surveyed that day. The question asked whether Netanyahu was guilty of actions cited in the International Criminal Court case, including the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and crimes against humanity during the Gaza war, according to YouGov.
In that poll, 45% of adults answered yes, 21% answered no, and 33% said they were not sure, according to the figures posted by YouGov. Separate reporting that circulated widely this week described a related Economist/YouGov finding showing 47% said Netanyahu is guilty of war crimes in Gaza and 49% said the United States should enforce the ICC warrant, while 27% said it should not and 23% were unsure.
The ICC case remains a central part of the public debate. The court said on Nov. 21, 2024, that its judges issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes tied to the Gaza conflict, according to the International Criminal Court.
The practical U.S. impact is tied closely to New York because Netanyahu said he intends to be in New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly, according to the Associated Press. That has turned a broad foreign policy dispute into a concrete question about what American authorities would do if he enters the country.
What is confirmed is that New York City officials do not control enforcement of an ICC warrant. AP reported that Mayor Zohran Mamdani said last week that the city does not have the legal authority to execute the warrant and that he instead encouraged the federal government to act.
What is not known is whether any U.S. agency would take steps tied to the warrant if Netanyahu travels to New York. President Donald Trump said this week that Netanyahu would not be arrested while in the United States, and the White House’s Feb. 6, 2025 order imposing sanctions on the ICC described the court’s actions against Netanyahu as “baseless” and stated that the United States and Israel are not parties to the Rome Statute.
The survey result is significant because it measures opinion at the intersection of the Gaza war, international law and U.S. politics. The ICC said its warrant concerns alleged conduct from at least Oct. 8, 2023, to at least May 20, 2024, the day prosecutors filed the applications, placing legal scrutiny on decisions made during the most intense phase of Israel’s military campaign.
At the same time, the Biden-era and Trump-era political consensus around Israel has fractured in public view. AP reported this week that Netanyahu himself warned bipartisan U.S. support for Israel is at risk as the war has made him a more polarizing figure in American politics.
For U.S. residents, the immediate takeaway is not that any arrest is imminent, but that public opinion on Netanyahu has become measurable, divided and politically relevant. With Netanyahu saying he still plans to attend the U.N. gathering in New York in September, the poll provides a fresh benchmark for how Americans view both the Gaza war and the question of accountability under international law.