Supermajority of Jewish Americans think Israel and Aipac drive antisemitism

A supermajority of Jewish Americans in the United States believe that both Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are contributing to the rise of antisemitism in the country, according to a new poll conducted by J Street, a pro-Israel think tank. The survey revealed that 66% of Jewish voters in the US think that AIPAC's campaign spending against candidates critical of Israel increases antisemitism.

Additionally, 60% of Jewish voters feel that organizations labeled as "anti-Semitic" simply because they criticize Israel's policies are exploiting antisemitism concerns to defend unpopular Israeli actions. Notably, 80% of Jewish voters believe that Israel's actions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip are worsening antisemitism in the US.

The poll's findings challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding the impact of Jewish concerns over antisemitism and support for Israel. Jim Gerstein, founder of the poll-conducting firm GBAO Strategies, noted that the results reflect a nuanced perspective on these issues among American Jews, which often goes unreported in mainstream media.

The results align with the midterms' Democratic victory, where the US war on Iran and US support for Israel played a significant role in races such as Michigan. The poll also revealed that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been labeled as an antisemite, had a higher favorability rating among Jewish Americans (49%) compared to outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (20%).