Israeli-Arab Conflict For Americans In March 2024

Pew Research conducted a poll of Americans in February 2024 about the current Gaza War. There are number of findings worth flagging.

Americans side with Israel. Roughly 58% of Americans think that Israel is right to go after Hamas, while 49% think that Hamas has few if any valid reasons to fight Israel. An astonishing 28% had no opinion on the matter.

A wide majority of 73% of Americans think that Hamas’s approach to fighting the war is unacceptable, arguably way too few considering the savage butchery of the Palestinian army burning families alive. There is no real consensus about Israel’s handling of the war with 38%, 34% and 26% saying that they approve, disapprove or have no opinion of Israel’s actions in Gaza.

Jews and Protestants versus Muslims, Secular Americans and Blacks. The poll examined people’s attitudes in the war by religion. Jews and Protestants aligned in their perspectives with 77%, 71% and 55% of Jews, White Evangelical Protestants and White Protestants, respectively, believing that Hamas had no valid reason for attacking Israel. The percentages who believe that Israel is just in fighting Palestinian Arabs is 89%, 74% and 69%, for those same groups respectively.

Muslims had polar opposite reactions, closely followed by secular Americans and Blacks. A sickening 49% of Muslims believe that Hamas had a valid reason for committing the October 7 massacre (and 21% support he way it carried out the attacks), followed by secular Americans and Blacks with 33% and 19% endorsement of the terror. Those groups also believe that Israel is not correct in fighting Hamas, with 54%, 24% and 18% of Muslims, seculars and Blacks, respectively, contesting Israel’s motivations.

Young Americans Support Hamas. The gap between Muslims and Jews is as wide as it is between the young and older Americans.

People over 65 years old think that Israel has a valid reason to pursue Hamas, by 78% to 6%. The percentages among 18 to 29 year-olds is only 38% to 27%. As alarming, the 65+ cohort believes by a 4-to-1 ratio that Hamas has no valid reason to fight Israel, while more young people think Hamas has a valid reason to fight Israel. A sickening 9% of young people believe that the way Hamas carried out the October 7 massacre was appropriate, and 14% have a positive view of Hamas. They are the only age group to have more positive feelings towards Palestinian people than Israelis.

Republicans support Israel’s military. Along with the gap in attitudes among age groups and religions are political leanings. Republicans are twice as likely to support providing military aid to Israel (50% to 25%). Democrats are almost twice as likely to support humanitarian aid for Gazans (66% to 35%).

Generally, among those who completely side with Israelis, Republicans outnumber Democrats by 7-to1. Among those who totally support Palestinians, Democrats outnumber Republicans by 8-to-1.

Jews are more divided than Muslims. Muslim Americans are much more fully supportive of Palestinian Arabs, with no positive feelings towards Jews. Almost half – 45% – of American Muslims only support Palestinians while Jews are more divided in loyalty, with only 28% totally committed towards Israel. Jews have the highest share of empathy for all parties in the conflict compared to all other religions.

Limited knowledge amongst Blacks and young people. Not surprisingly, American Jews and Muslims are the most knowledgeable about the war, with Jews by far the most knowledgeable, as 45% of global Jewry lives in Israel, and most Jews are directly connected to the region. Blacks, those 18-to-29 and without a college degree were very ignorant about the regional players and current situation.

CONCLUSION

There is a divide in America regarding Israel and Palestinian Arabs. On one side are Jews, older Americans, Protestants and college educated people who support Israel. On the other, are Muslims, atheists, Blacks, young people and the uneducated who favor Palestinians.

Zionists must do a much better job in educating the world on social media and in high schools, as today’s youth and secular society is frighteningly siding with radical jihadists.