Israel has recently emerged as a major flash point within the Republican coalition, which has otherwise been relatively unified behind President Trump. Increasingly, voices within the party are questioning whether continued support for Israel is compatible with an “America First” foreign policy. In some prominent cases, the argument over United States policy toward Israel has intersected with old-school antisemitic tropes and religious trends in the Christian right, increasing concerns among American Jews. President Trump’s dominance...
Israel’s standing with the American public has plunged to an unprecedented nadir. Traditional support among Democrats has collapsed, and support among Republicans has eroded. The decline is most pronounced among young people on both sides of the political map. Within the Jewish community as well, support has declined and criticism has mounted. American sentiment toward Israel has been directly and negatively affected by Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas, and particularly by the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. Israel...
The Trump administration has made combatting antisemitism a centerpiece of its domestic policy, focusing especially on the climate for Jewish and Israeli students at institutions of higher education. The administration’s policies to pressure university’s to adopt reforms have included severe cuts to research funding, limits on enrollment of international students, and attempts to deport pro-Palestinian activists. Perhaps surprisingly given the scope of the problem of antisemitism, Jewish communal responses to the Trump administration...
The partisan divide over Israel in US public opinion has reached unprecedented levels. According to a benchmark survey released earlier this month, only one-third of Democrats compared to over four-fifths of Republicans have a favorable view of Israel. The rapidly expanding gap is the result of several long-term trends: the declining religiosity of the American public, increasing partisan competition across most issues areas, and a growing generational divide in attitudes about Israel. The war launched by Hamas in October 2023 has...
On November 20, 2024, the US Senate rejected three resolutions aimed at limiting the export of offensive weapons to Israel. The resolutions, introduced by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, were based on claims that Israel was failing to meet its obligations under international law in the war in the Gaza Strip. Despite their defeat, the resolutions garnered significant support among progressive Democrats—especially compared to previous similar resolutions—and also received backing from some liberal Jewish organizations. The willingness...
More than a year of war between Israel and its regional enemies has put the US–Israel alliance under the spotlight. While the United States has provided Israel diplomatic support and more than $22 billion in military aid, the Biden administration and the Netanyahu-led government have repeatedly clashed on issues such as proportionality, humanitarian aid, and adherence to international law. Younger and liberal Americans have become more critical of Israel, and many Israelis have questioned the role of the United States as a limiting...
Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States after a fierce campaign, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. His return to the White House follows significant internal tensions in the United States, including concerns about immigration, inflation, and crime. Trump will likely focus initially on domestic issues, especially the crisis on the southern border. During his previous term, he won over Israelis through his support for the Abraham Accords, recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and the...
Last year, as the Israel-Hamas war unfolded, pro-Palestinian protests, encampments, building occupations, and votes on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) resolutions spread across hundreds of US university campuses. Over the last several weeks, three major studies timed for the start of the academic year provide the first systematic evidence of the breadth and impact of the protest movement. Protesters achieved some, but not all, of their aims and created an environment that many Jewish students perceived as hostile. Still, the...
When Prime Minister Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress on July 24, he will also be addressing the American Jewish community. This article describes American Jewish attitudes about the Israel-Hamas war, the Israeli government and the upcoming US elections. It shows that although American Jews strongly supported Israel throughout the war, they had many serious criticisms of the “full right” government prior to October 7. It also shows that most will support the Democratic nominee in the US presidential election in...
