Only 6% of Americans lay blame on Israel for Gaza hostilities
34% of Americans say Hamas is mostly to blame for Gaza hostilities, while 47% think both sides equally responsible; half of Americans disapprove of Obama's handling of the Gaza crisis.
Only 6 percent of Americans lay the blame on Israel for the recent round of Gaza hostilities, a CBS news poll released on Wednesday found.
The majority of Americans (47 percent) blame both Israel and the Palestinians for the war in Gaza, while 34 percent think Hamas is most to blame.
The majority of Republicans (54 percent) view Hamas as responsible for the violence that left almost 2,000 Palestinians dead and 67 Israels, while the majority of Democrats (55 percent) lay the blame on both sides equally.
More independents (48 percent) lay the blame on both sides, than on either side (32 percent blame Hamas, while 20 percent blame Israel).
Meanwhile, half of Americans disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in light of the recent round of Gaza violence.
The US administration has presented a largely pro-Israeli position throughout Operation Protective Edge with both Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry constantly stressing Israel's right to defend itself.
However, Kerry was also overheard criticizing Israel, saying the Gaza offensive was "a hell of a pinpoint operation," and reports - deemed by the State Department as "inaccurate" - surfaced in the Israeli media of Kerry's ceasefire proposal draft, that reportedly ignored Israeli security needs while granting Hamas all of its demands.
