Younger voters more likely to be blame Israeli policy for terrorism and disagree that some pro-Palestinian rhetoric is antisemitic.
Majorities or pluralities of Americans agree that key sentiments expressed by anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian politicians and protesters are antisemitic.
- However, there are significant differences in agreement by age, with younger voters much more likely than other groups to defend anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian positions.
- There are smaller but meaningful differences by party, ideology, and race – with liberal and black voters more likely to defend anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian positions.
WHY IT MATTERS – The Hamas terrorist attack and ensuing war between Israel and Hamas have sparked pro-Palestinian protests throughout the United States, particularly on college campuses and in major cities.
- The protests have sparked discussion about where expressing support for the Palestinian cause ends and antisemitism begins.
HOW TO USE THIS DATA – Candidates and activists can use this information to determine what rhetoric and positions are considered unacceptable by the American people.
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76% are closely following the news of the war between Israel and Hamas.
- 32% are following it “very closely.”
- Those following the news “very closely” tend to have firmer positions than the rest.
68% say terrorism against Israel and the United States is caused more by terrorist ideology than Israeli and U.S. policies. (18% say it is caused more by Israeli and U.S. policies.)
- This includes large majorities of Republicans (74%), Democrats (63%), and independents (67%).
- There is a significant difference of opinion by age. 37% of Gen Z voters blame Israel and U.S. policies for terrorism compared to just 24% of Millennials, 19% of Gen X, and 7% of Boomer+.
- Blacks are more likely than non-blacks to blame Israeli and U.S. policies, with 27% of black voters blaming U.S. and Israeli policies and 47% blaming terrorist ideology.
- There is no significant difference between America’s New Majority and the Left’s Minority voters on this question.
59% agree it is antisemitic to call for the dismantling of the Jewish state of Israel. (22% disagree)
- This includes majorities of Republicans (64%), Democrats (54%) and independents (58.5%).
- Once again, there is a large age divide, with Gen Z voters (47%) less likely to agree calling for the dismantling of the Jewish state of Israel is antisemitic than Millennial (56%), Gen X (55%) and Boomer+ (67%) voters.
- Majorities of white (64%) and Hispanic (53%) voters agree, as well as pluralities of black (43%) and Asian voters (49%).
- Majorities of America’s New Majority (60%) and the Left’s Minority (55%) voters agree it is antisemitic to call for the dismantling of the Jewish state of Israel.
51% agree it is antisemitic to justify Hamas’s recent terrorist attack as an act of resistance against Israeli occupation. (25% disagree)
- This includes a majority of Republicans (56%) and pluralities of Democrats (47%) and independents (49%).
- Gen Z voters (40%) are less likely than Millennial (49%), Gen X (49%) and Boomer+ (56.5%) voters to agree justifying the Hamas attack is antisemitic.
- A majority of whites (54%) agree justifying the attack is antisemitic, as well as pluralities of Hispanics (48%), blacks (43%) and Asians (46%).
- Similar percentages of America’s New Majority (52%) and Left Minority (48%) voters agree it is antisemitic to justify the Hamas attack as an act of resistance against Israeli occupation.
48% agree it is antisemitic to blame Israel for Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack. (29% disagree)
- A majority of Republicans (55%-26%) agree it is antisemitic to blame Israel, as well as pluralities of independents (46%-34%) and Democrats (42%-32%).
- Again, the biggest differences are by age. Gen Z is evenly divided (38%-38%) on whether blaming Israel for the Hamas attack is antisemitic, whereas pluralities of Millennials (43%), Gen X (48%) and a majority of Boomer+ (53%) agree.
- “Very liberal” voters (40%-39%) are the only ideological group with a plurality disagreeing it is antisemitic to blame Israel for Hamas’s recent terrorist attack.
- Pluralities of America’s New Majority (49%-28%) and Left Minority voters (43%-34%) agree it is antisemitic to blame Israel for the recent Hamas attack.