The Young American Left and Attitudes About Israel

Key Findings:

Over the last two decades, a rift has emerged on the US political left regarding the State of Israel. Public polling has shown that young people and the ideological far left have developed distinctly negative views toward Israel. This study was developed in order to better understand the young left’s attitudes toward Israel.

19% of 18–30-year-old respondents identify as the farthest left on the ideological scale, compared to 9% of respondents over 30 who identify as farthest left. 21% of young respondents identified as leftist and 21% identified as socialist. 

Expanding the analysis to the full range of ideology for young respondents (18–30) as well as respondents over age 30, the study finds that more young adults than older adults hold an unfavorable view of Israel on both ideological extremes. The difference is largest on the far left, as Israel favorability is 33% for young very liberal adults versus 60% for older adults. 

Israel is also the only country with large favorability gaps between age cohorts on both the right and the left but not among moderates, suggesting there is something unique occurring on the ends of the political spectrum when it comes to evaluations of Israel.

Young adults across the ideological spectrum have a distinctly less favorable view of Israel than older adults do, but the ideological young left’s critical attitudes toward Israel stand out in particular. Compared to both older liberals and younger conservatives, as well as compared to how they viewed other countries that are allied with the United States, the young left’s negative attitudes toward Israel are anomalously extreme. Among very liberal 18–30-year-olds, Israel is viewed in the company of US rivals such as China and Iran.