Poll shows Americans are still deeply concerned about Israel and antisemitism

As phase one of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ends without genuine progress on phase two, the risk of renewed fighting remains extremely high. 

Were the war to resume, as has been reported to be likely, it’s important to assess how Americans feel about the war in Gaza. 

New polling by our firm, Schoen-Cooperman research, conducted on behalf of the Israel on Campus Coalition, reveals that even after 16 months of war, Americans firmly support Israel’s right to defend itself. 

Additionally, as the future of Hamas’s role in Gaza remains one of the biggest obstacles to a phase two agreement, we find that Americans overwhelmingly believe any final deal must require the militant group’s removal from power. 

Indeed, more than 8 in 10 Americans believe that ending the war necessitates the end of Hamas’s rule in Gaza (82 percent), and a virtually identical 81 percent of Americans support Israel’s right to defend itself.   

Americans’ strong support for Israel does not indicate a lack of compassion for civilians in Gaza. Rather, as our poll indicates, it is because Americans widely recognize that Hamas is the cause of the war. 

A full 8 in 10 American adults — including 85 percent of Republicans, 80 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of Independents — agree that Palestinians in Gaza are suffering because of Hamas, which started this war on Oct 7, 2023. 

Moreover, nearly 7 in 10 (69 percent) of Americans believe Israel’s response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack was justified after hearing brief background information on the attack and the toll of the resulting war. 

The poll, which surveyed 1,000 American adults, 400 college students, and 250 Jewish college students also suggests growing concern over rising antisemitism here in the U.S.  

At the same time, it indicates that even after 16 months of war and a ceasefire that has largely held for the last six weeks, the war in Gaza remains a dominant issue on college campuses.  

Asked about what issues they consider the most pressing to address, the Israel-Hamas war ranked second among all college students, behind only costs and inflation.  

Further, among Jewish college students, the war is the top issue, with four in ten ranking it first, 12 points ahead of violent crime and gun violence. 

Similarly, more than 90 percent of Jewish college students (94 percent) and college students overall (91 percent) say that the Israel-Hamas war is important to them personally. 

That being said, the centrality of the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses is having dangerous effects on students, particularly Jewish students. 

Three-quarters (75 percent) of college students have experienced, witnessed or heard about antisemitic incidents on their campus, while a similar 76 percent believe antisemitism is a serious problem on their individual campuses. 

Among Jewish college students, the problem is even more severe.  

More than 8 in 10 (81 percent) Jewish college students have either personally experienced antisemitism (30 percent), witnessed an antisemitic incident (29 percent) or have heard about one occurring (22 percent).  

Furthermore, both Jewish college students (80 percent) and college students generally (76 percent) are concerned that the Israel-Hamas war has led to an increase in Jew hatred on their specific campuses. 

In that same vein, the overtly anti-Israel boycott, divest and sanction (BDS) resolutions that are increasingly being promoted on campuses is contributing to Jewish students’ fear.  

Roughly 90 percent (87 percent) of Jewish students are concerned that anti-Israel protests and BDS resolutions lead to antisemitic hate crimes and violence against Jewish students. 

Since the Oct. 7 attacks and subsequent war in Gaza, college and university campuses have emerged as the epicenter of anti-Israel and antisemitic activity. 

The latest such incident occurred just last week at Barnard College when masked anti-Israel protesters stormed a building and assaulted an employee, sending him to the hospital. 

Despite university leaders repeatedly pledging to combat the outbreak of Jew hatred on campus, the data indicates that they continue to fall woefully short. 

To be sure, the poll found that concerns over the epidemic of antisemitism are not limited to college students. 

In the wake of rapper Ye's, (formerly known as Kanye West) controversial Super Bowl ad promoting a t-shirt emblazoned with a swastika, 80 percent of American adults recognize antisemitism as a serious problem in the U.S.  

Taken together, the poll makes it clear that Americans remain engaged with the war in the Middle East and continue to robustly support Israel’s right to self-defense. This support cuts across party lines in a way few issues do today. 

Simultaneously, it is apparent that there is an urgent need to address the surge in antisemitism that has erupted following the war’s outbreak, particularly on college campuses. 

Douglas E. Schoen and Carly Cooperman are pollsters and partners with the public opinion company Schoen Cooperman Research based in New York. They are co-authors of the book, “America: Unite or Die.” 

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