Pro-Palestinian protesters rally at White House during Netanyahu’s visit

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered Tuesday outside the White House to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit as he held talks with President Donald Trump.

Protesters waved Palestinian flags and carried banners that demanded an end to US military support for Israel amid heightened security around the White House.

Several demonstrators held banners that read: “Stop arming Israel,” while others carried signs declaring that “Netanyahu is a war criminal” and “Catholics for a Free Palestine.”

The protesters could be heard from the White House, where talks between Netanyahu and Trump were underway. The US war with Iran and broader regional security issues were expected to dominate the meeting.

Growing opposition to Netanyahu

The protest comes as US public opinion toward Israel has grown increasingly negative, with several recent polls showing mounting concern about Israel’s genocide in the Gaza Strip, along with its alleged possession of nuclear weapons.

A recent Economist/YouGov survey found that 49% of Americans believed US law enforcement should arrest Netanyahu during the visit, including 23% of those who voted for Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

The survey also found 47% of Americans believed Netanyahu was guilty of war crimes, while the same percentage said his actions had damaged US-Israel relations.

Netanyahu was viewed unfavorably by 54% of respondents, including 35% of Trump voters.

The poll found that 43% of Americans believed Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians, while 24% disagreed and 32% were unsure.

That view was shared by 22% of Trump voters. It was also held by 68% of Democrats, 45% of independents and 17% of Republicans.

The figure rose to 55% among adults aged 18 to 29 and 52% among college graduates.

The survey also found that 64% of Americans were at least somewhat concerned about Israel possessing nuclear weapons, including 40% who said they were very concerned.

Among Trump voters, 25% said they were very concerned. The figure stood at 49% among Democrats, 46% among independents and 23% among Republicans.

The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted from July 25 - 27 among 1,559 American adults.

*Contributions by Ahmet Salih Alacaci