Public perception of Israel has plummeted to a new low in the United States, particularly among Democrats. And yet the party continues to cut the country a blank check to carry out its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, lagging sorely behind its voter base on the issue.

A new poll from Gallup, conducted in July, shows that only 32 percent of Americans approve of Israel’s “military action taken in Gaza,” down 10 percentage points since last September. Among Democrats, only 8 percent support Israel’s actions, the lowest approval rating to date. Compare that to 25 percent of independents and a robust 71 percent of Republicans.

The poll also saw Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receive a negative rating from the majority of Americans for the first time since 1997, with only 29 percent of the country viewing him positively.

These numbers reflect a new reality in U.S.-Israel relations, and the Democratic Party must act accordingly if it wants to be successful. As New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani showed, mindless capitulation to Israel is no longer a prerequisite for Democratic voters. If party leadership was actually in touch with its base, it’d be baking aid to Gaza and funding cuts to the Israeli military into the foundation of its campaigns. Only time will tell if they’ll wake up and capitalize.