40% of Poles Now Admit They Dislike Jews, The Highest Level in Decades
As the Gaza war fuels anti-Israel sentiment across Europe, Poland’s long-simmering tensions have reached a record-breaking boiling point.
New data released today by Poland’s state research agency, CBOS, has sent shockwaves through the Jewish world. According to the latest survey, a staggering 40% of Poles now openly state that they dislike Jews. This represents an 8% spike in just one year, a sharper rise than for almost any other ethnic or national group in the country.
While negative sentiment has skyrocketed, positive feelings have plummeted. Only 22% of Poles now express sympathy toward Jews, the lowest level recorded since 2006.
Analysts point to the brutal regional conflict in the Middle East as a primary driver of this shift. Public criticism of Israel’s military actions has bled into general antisemitic sentiment.
The survey reveals a telling split in sympathies regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
* Pro-Palestinian Sympathy: 14%
* Pro-Israel Sympathy: 10%
* Neutral/Undecided: The vast majority
Crucially, the data shows that younger Poles are significantly more likely to hold pro-Palestinian views than older generations, often viewing the conflict through a lens of "oppressor vs. oppressed" that translates into broader hostility toward Jewish identity.
The rise in hostility isn't just about current events, it's about the past. Poland is currently locked in a fierce internal debate over national identity and the memory of the Holocaust.
* The Victimhood Narrative: Many Poles are increasingly leaning into a narrative that emphasizes Polish suffering during WWII above all else.
* Historical Friction: Any discussion of Polish complicity in wartime crimes against Jews is met with growing public anger. According to sociologists, this defensive "righteous nation" stance has created a fertile ground for anti-Jewish attitudes to resurface.
It’s not just Jews in the crosshairs. The CBOS report indicates a general rise in xenophobia across Poland as the "international climate" grows more tense.
* Americans: Dislike rose by 8% (to 18%), largely tied to skepticism over the U.S. as a reliable ally under the current Trump administration.
* Ukrainians: Dislike rose to 43%, as the fatigue of the nearby war begins to take a toll on Polish society.
For the Jewish community in Poland and abroad, these numbers are more than just statistics, they are a flashing red light. As diplomatic ties between Jerusalem and Warsaw remain strained over ICC warrants and "excessive force" accusations, the "man on the street" in Poland is increasingly viewing the Jewish people through a lens of suspicion and historical revisionism.