Washington /PNN /

US Congresswoman Betty McCollum has expressed optimism that more and more Americans are rejecting their government’s complicity in Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian children and families.

McCollum said in a tweet, “More than ever before, Americans do not want the U.S. to be complicit in Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinian children & families. Not $1 of U.S. aid should be used to imprison Palestinian children in military detention facilities, or used to tear down their homes.”

The US Rep. was commenting on a recent poll by Gallup News which has found that 49% of US Democrats sympathize more with Palestinians compared with 38% who sympathize with Israelis, which represents an 11% increase over the past year alone.

The poll shows that sympathy toward the Palestinians is also at a new high among political independents, up six points to 32%. However, more independents still lean toward the Israelis (49%), according to the poll.