Polling
Antisemitism in America
Ahead of the third anniversary of October 7 and Israel’s upcoming election, Boundless engaged Burson, a global research and polling firm, to examine American attitudes toward Jews and Israel.
Building on three years of Boundless polling, the study finds that there are still important gaps in recognition of Jew-hatred. One in five Americans views antisemitism as a legitimate response to the Israel-Hamas war, rising to more than one in three among young adults. The research also examines where attitudes toward Israel spill over onto American Jews, what is driving unfavorable views of Israel, and whether a change in Israeli leadership could shift those views.
Key Findings:
One in five Americans (21%) views antisemitism as a legitimate form of protest in response to Israel’s conduct in Gaza, rising to 35% among adults ages 18–34.
Nearly one-third (30%) of Americans remain unfamiliar with the term “antisemitism,” increasing to 39% among adults ages 18–34.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of Americans believe antisemitism has increased since October 7, 2023.
61% agree that criticism of Israel is often used as an excuse to express anti-Jewish views.
Nearly half of Americans believe Israel is committing genocide; among those who do, one-third believe American Jews are complicit.
About one in five Americans say their views of Netanyahu (19%), the Israeli government (18%), and Israel (21%) influence how they view American Jews.
Among Americans who view Israel unfavorably, concerns are driven primarily by conflict and leadership rather than opposition to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.
Roughly half (58%) correctly identify Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister, while 43% say they would like to see him replaced.
Americans are more likely to say peace, conflict resolution, and humanitarian aid would improve their opinion of Israel than a change in political leadership alone.
Knowledge of Israeli democracy remains limited: only 27% know Arab citizens can vote in Israeli elections, and 21% know Arabs serve in Israel’s parliament.