Like many Israelis, Bronx-born Eli Knoller, who holds dual citizenship and resides in a West Bank Israeli settlement, hopes the next U.S. president will empower Israel to “finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, where his son lost his life in combat.

A few miles away, Palestinian American Abduljabbar Alqam is distressed by what he views as U.S. involvement in Palestinian suffering in Gaza.

But the two men share at least one perspective: neither intends to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. Mr. Alqam feels the Biden administration has been overly supportive of Israel’s actions in Gaza, while Mr. Knoller believes it hasn’t shown enough support.

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, tens of thousands of Americans live on opposite sides of one of the world’s most enduring conflicts, and many express dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza war, set off by Hamas’s deadly October attack on Israel.

Polls reveal broad Israeli support for former President Donald Trump, recalling his almost unconditional support for a nation facing increasing international isolation. Conversely, many Palestinians express discontent with President Biden’s support for Israel, perceiving little difference between the two candidates. This frustration mirrors a broader dissatisfaction with Gaza policies within the American political landscape.

“The Democrats need to lose, and they need to understand one of the main reasons is their stance on Israel,” said Mr. Alqam, 37, who plans to vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. “It’s about making a statement.”

The Gaza conflict has complicated the last year of Biden’s presidency, causing a split within his party and revealing perceived American weakness in the Middle East. His envoys have been shuttling through the region for months, attempting unsuccessfully to secure a cease-fire.

What the next president’s impact on the conflict may be remains unclear. Trump adopted firm pro-Israel policies during his term, including a peace plan that favored Israeli interests. However, he has also urged Israel to draw down the war.

Ms. Harris largely echoes President Biden’s views, supporting Israel’s right to self-defense while advocating for a resolution to end the war and release Gaza’s hostages. While she has expressed a stronger stance on Palestinian suffering, her approach if elected is likely to remain similar.

The U.S. government estimates at least 150,000 Americans live in Israel, a country of about 10 million people, with approximately 60,000 in West Bank settlements – around 15% of the settler population, according to Haifa University lecturer Sara Yael Hirschhorn.

Thousands of Palestinian Americans also reside in the West Bank, though official numbers are unavailable.

Generations of Palestinians have traveled between the U.S., where they enjoy equal rights, and the West Bank, where Israeli law grants settlers full citizenship rights while Palestinians, including U.S. citizens, live under Israeli military rule with limited rights.

Kory Bardash, co-chair of Republicans Overseas Israel, lives in Efrat, a settlement with a sizable American community. He feels that the U.S. has recently displayed weakness in the Middle East, which he sees as detrimental to Israel.

“Under the current administration, regional actors perceive weakness,” said Mr. Bardash, who campaigned for Mr. Trump.

Some settlers, while wary of Trump’s unpredictable policies, support Ms. Harris, including Herzl Hefter, an American-born Orthodox rabbi in Efrat. He acknowledged his neighbors’ concerns about Trump’s “moral decay” but noted that many have decided to “hold their noses and vote for Trump.”

“But it doesn’t mean that on certain policies, Trump might not be better,” said Mr. Hefter, 67. “It’s hard to say, as he’s so unreliable.”

Just north of Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinian Americans live in areas where many move between the U.S. and the Middle East. In Turmus Aya, a quiet village near Ramallah, Americans are a large part of the population, particularly in summer, when expatriates return with their families.

Mr. Alqam, born in New Jersey, spent part of his childhood in Turmus Aya. In 2023, he and his wife returned from Louisiana to connect their three children with their heritage and learn Arabic – although many children in Turmus Aya prefer speaking English among friends.

Returning has confronted Mr. Alqam with Israel’s complex system of restrictions on Palestinians in the West Bank, measures Israel claims are necessary to prevent militant attacks. He reassures his children that their American passports might afford some protection.

“In America, we’d have equal rights. Here, they have superiority, more rights, more security,” said Mr. Alqam, referring to Israeli Jews.

Two weeks after their return, Jewish extremists attacked their town, torching homes in response to a Palestinian attack that killed four Israelis. One resident was fatally shot in the clashes.

Mr. Alqam admitted that a Trump victory might embolden Israeli hard-liners, possibly even to annex the West Bank. But he argued that the situation was deteriorating regardless, and that change first needed to come from within the United States.

“I’d be willing to endure four more years of suffering if it helps bring about bigger change,” he said, referring to a potential Trump win.

Some Palestinians are open to supporting Ms. Harris despite reservations over Gaza. Hakeem Asheh, a Palestinian American living in Nablus, said he was willing to “give Harris a chance.”

“The Democratic Party’s views on the conflict are evolving. There’s a new vision,” said Mr. Asheh, a former Connecticut drugstore manager who returned to Nablus a decade ago. “Harris might not implement it, but over time, things might change.”

Still, how much influence either candidate could have on Israel remains uncertain. Many Israelis view the ongoing conflicts as existential.

Mr. Knoller, 60, moved to Karnei Shomron, a northern West Bank settlement, years ago. In July, his 30-year-old son Nadav died while on his third Gaza reserve tour, leaving behind a wife and toddler.

For Mr. Knoller, supporting Trump is straightforward.

If Ms. Harris were elected, the U.S. might “pressure Israel to negotiate a cease-fire and release Hamas prisoners in exchange for hostages in Gaza,” he said. “That’s not something I can accept.”