A newly published survey of American Jewish voters reveals views on Israel that many will find alarming. A quarter (25%) of those polled agreed with the statement that Israel is an apartheid state, and almost a quarter (22%) agreed with the statement that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinians. 

The American Jewish community is facing a critical decision. It can ignore the real issues that lead people to take these positions and continue to call those who hold them antisemites. Or it can start to meaningfully address the core issue, 54 years of occupation.

Americans for Peace Now (APN) does not endorse these statements. But the fact that such a large proportion of American Jews does endorse them should be taken very seriously by the state of Israel and its friends worldwide.

APN’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind said: “These results underscore a dramatic shift in US public opinion regarding Israel, particularly among younger members of our Jewish community. The results demonstrate the hollowness and ineffectiveness of Israeli and American Jewish leaders’ propensity to cry antisemitism when Israeli policies and practices are criticized, rather than to seriously address problematic policies. Rather than seeking to discredit those who are critical of Israeli policies and actions, it is time for our community to tackle the root causes which obstruct peace and alienate Israel’s allies.”   

The poll was commissioned by the non-partisan Jewish Electorate Institute.