Isolation
Israel Losing American Jews: Only a Third of U.S. Jews Support Gaza Operation
Despite the strong support in Israel, many American Jews have very harsh criticism of the operation in Gaza - according to a new poll.
A recent survey has uncovered a deep divide within the American Jewish community over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
The study, conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Rochester, reveals that only 31% of American Jews support Israel’s military campaign in Gaza over the past two years.
In contrast, 58% of respondents expressed opposition to the military actions, reflecting a significant shift in opinion.
This trend is evident across various sectors of the Jewish community, including Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and secular Jews, with a substantial portion of each group expressing hesitation or outright disapproval.
The survey also highlighted significant anxiety over the rising tide of antisemitism, particularly in U.S. universities.
72% of respondents said they were deeply concerned about the increase in antisemitic incidents on campuses, and 40% reported experiencing antisemitism personally in the past two years. Despite these concerns, however, a majority of the community remains critical of political actions aimed at addressing this issue.
For example, the survey found that nearly 60% of American Jews disapprove of the Trump administration’s decision to withhold federal funding from universities such as Harvard, Columbia, and UCLA over allegations of failing to adequately combat antisemitism.
A significant portion of respondents, three-quarters, view these actions as politically motivated rather than genuine efforts to protect Jewish students.
Professor James Druckman, a leading researcher at the University of Rochester, noted that the Jewish community is becoming increasingly critical of the use of antisemitism as a pretext for political maneuvers. He added that this growing skepticism has been consistent since last spring, marking a shift in the way Jewish Americans perceive both domestic and international political dynamics.
The survey also reveals broader concerns over the political landscape, particularly with regard to Trump’s administration. More than 70% of Jewish respondents believe the president exploited the Jewish community as a “pretext” to wage a broader assault on academia. As if they forgot that the it is an anti-Jewish space.
In a related political development, Senator Bernie Sanders, made headlines this week by publicly accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Sanders, is the first U.S. senator to openly declare that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, an assertion that has sparked intense debate.