A new Washington Post poll indicates a historic perception gap between American Jews and the State of Israel. According to the data, 61% of respondents believe Israel committed war crimes in Gaza, and 39% even defined its actions as "genocide." In contrast, nearly all respondents – 94% – believe Hamas committed war crimes against Israel.
"In the beginning, in some ways, Israel had no choice. You cannot allow threats to its national security like that," said Julia Seidman, 42, from Washington. "But there is nothing that can justify what is happening now, two years later. The amount of human suffering we are seeing today… I am simply disgusted," she told The Post.
The poll was conducted between September 2-9 among 815 American Jews, with a margin of error of 4.7%. Although most respondents express sharp reservations about Israel's policy in the war, 76% emphasize that Israel's existence is vital for the future of the Jewish people, and 58% feel some cultural or emotional connection to Israelis.
Nevertheless, trust in the Israeli government has eroded, with 48% giving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a negative rating, compared to 20% who gave him only a "fair" rating and 32% who evaluated his leadership as "good" or "excellent." The political divisions in the US are also evident, with 85% of Republican Jews supporting the Gaza operation, but only 31% of Democratic Jews.
"When times get hard, Jews are the first to be suspected and therefore also the first to be hurt, and therefore I think Israel's existence is very important for the Jewish people," said Bob Haas, 71, from Pennsylvania, whose grandfather fled to the United States to escape the pogroms in Poland. "But the way Netanyahu's government conducts itself contributes nothing to protecting Jews, not in Israel and not in the world," he said.
Another prominent finding is the intergenerational gap. Only 36% of young people aged 18-34 feel an emotional connection to Israel, compared to 68% of those 65 and older. The younger generation also tends more toward harsh accusations against Israel – half of them (50%) claimed it is committing genocide, compared to about one-third (35-49, 50-64, 65+) in the older age groups.
Interestingly, despite the criticism, 59% of respondents believe Israel and an independent Palestinian state can live side by side in peace. Most (62%) support Gaza being governed by an elected Palestinian government, but only 4% see Hamas as a legitimate authority.
The new data joins a years-long trend of distancing between American Jews, who identify more with liberal and universal values, and Israeli leadership perceived as more internally focused, militant, and conservative. While Israel conducts a fierce internal struggle surrounding Netanyahu and the continuation of the war, among American Jews, the feeling grows that Israel is losing its moral direction.
The criticism does not come only from the left, with even traditional supporters of Israel, including conservative and evangelical audiences, beginning to express frustration with the government's conduct throughout the war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump continues to stand by his support for Israel and promotes an agreement to release the hostages and end the war – but this poll shows that automatic support for Israel, even among American Jews, is no longer taken for granted.
