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Survey: 60% of American Jews Support Establishment of Palestinian State

A Palestinian flag hangs on a tent at the protest encampment at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, on May 1, 2024. (AFP)
A Palestinian flag hangs on a tent at the protest encampment at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, on May 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Survey: 60% of American Jews Support Establishment of Palestinian State

A Palestinian flag hangs on a tent at the protest encampment at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, on May 1, 2024. (AFP)
A Palestinian flag hangs on a tent at the protest encampment at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, on May 1, 2024. (AFP)

About 60% of American Jews support the establishment of a Palestinian state, found a survey by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs last week.

The survey showed that American Jews are affected by the growing differences between their government and Israel, and therefore, share views that differ from Israeli public.

About 52% of the 511 American Jews surveyed by the Center regarding the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict said they supported US President Joe Biden’s decision to potentially withhold arms shipments to Israel if it continued its offensive in the Rafah border.

Dr. Irwin J. Mansdorf, the head of the team of researchers that conducted the survey, said approximately 33% of respondents agreed with the accusation that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, including 13% who said they strongly agree.

He noted that in the aftermath of the Israeli army’s entry into the Rafah border area and Biden’s announcement of a potential arms embargo should Israel continue its offensive into Rafah, the Center noticed a great deal of activity both in the media and on the American streets.

The survey aims mainly to highlight the views of American Jews on a number of subjects and how they may have been influenced by events in Israel, Gaza, and in the United States, Mansdorf said.

Its results indicate a general feeling of apprehension and concern for the future of American Jewry.

Despite a significant awareness of the complex situation, there is a notable suspicion and skepticism towards Israel and the actions of its government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Also, support for Israel remains robust but conditional. About a quarter indicated unconditional support, while another quarter supported Israel but not the current Israeli government.

Mansdorf explained that although a third of the respondents increased their support for Israel as a result of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at universities, a quarter indicated that their support for Israel had decreased.

Meanwhile, 28% of the respondents expressed great concern about their future or their family's future as Americans Jews in light of events unfolding on US campuses. Furthermore, 13% expressed little concern, while only 8% expressed no concern at all.

The survey also shed light on the attitude of American Jews towards the upcoming US elections. It said 26% of respondents said they were closer to Biden while only 13% indicated that they would abstain from voting. Despite the arms embargo on Israel, Biden is still absolutely ahead of other Jewish competitors in the United States, the survey showed.

Mansdorf said American Jews are also concerned about personal relationships with non-Jews, which had reportedly deteriorated since the onset of anti-Israel demonstrations in the US.

Most respondents said they experienced negative impacts in their relationships with non-Jewish neighbors, friends, and colleagues as a result of the war and demonstrations.

When considering voting for progressive candidates like Rashida Tlaib or Ilhan Omar over a moderate Republican, 26% of respondents said they would, with 13% abstaining and a similar amount expressing indecisiveness.

Also, the survey showed that Biden enjoys substantial support for re-election, leading former US President Donald Trump by a wide margin (52-11).

While support for a two-state solution to end the Palestinian-Israel conflict is declining among Israeli public opinion, the support among US Jews is rising, the survey revealed.

It said 12% of respondents back a totally independent Palestinian state with no conditions attached, 24% support a totally independent Palestinian state that must recognize Israel as a Jewish state, while 25% said an independent state for Palestinians must be demilitarized and accept Israel as a Jewish state.

It then showed that 16% support a confederation between Israel and a Palestinian entity with negotiated security arrangements while 5% said they are against any form of Palestinian state.

Mansdorf concluded that the survey highlights a community in flux, grappling with its traditional liberal values and evolving perspectives on Israel.

While support for Israel remains strong, it is increasingly conditional, reflecting a shift in how American Jewry relates to the current Israeli government and the broader conflict, the survey said.

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Le Pen Verdict Triggers Uproar from Far-Right in France and Beyond, amid Fist Pumps in Paris

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament of the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, walks on the day of the verdict of her trial at the courthouse in Paris, France, March 31, 2025. (Reuters)
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament of the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, walks on the day of the verdict of her trial at the courthouse in Paris, France, March 31, 2025. (Reuters)
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Le Pen Verdict Triggers Uproar from Far-Right in France and Beyond, amid Fist Pumps in Paris

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament of the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, walks on the day of the verdict of her trial at the courthouse in Paris, France, March 31, 2025. (Reuters)
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, member of parliament of the Rassemblement National (National Rally - RN) party, walks on the day of the verdict of her trial at the courthouse in Paris, France, March 31, 2025. (Reuters)

The thunderclap court ruling barring far-right politician Marine Le Pen from office for the immediate future reverberated across the political spectrum of France and Europe on Monday.

Her supporters branded the verdict an assault on democracy while detractors reacted with fist-pumping celebration, though even some of her critics wondered whether the court decision went too far.

Long seen as a top contender for France's 2027 presidential election and a potential leader-in-waiting of the Eurozone's second economy, Le Pen was convicted of embezzling European Union funds and barred from holding public office for five years.

The ruling drew swift and scathing responses from Le Pen's political kin across Europe, many of whom viewed the court's decision as an existential threat to their own movements.

"I am shocked by the incredibly tough verdict against Marine Le Pen. I support and believe in her 100% and I trust she will win the appeal and become President of France," said Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders.

In Italy, Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini warned, "The ruling against Marine Le Pen is a declaration of war by Brussels."

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared, "I am Marine."

Tom Van Grieken of Belgium's Vlaams Belang called the decision "an attack on democracy," and added: "Marine Le Pen can continue to count on our support."

Spain's Vox party leader Santiago Abascal insisted, "They will not succeed in silencing the voice of the French people."

From Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, "More and more European capitals are going down the path of trampling over democratic norms."

In France, where Le Pen had fought for decades to mainstream her far-right politics, the reaction within her camp was incendiary.

Jordan Bardella, her handpicked successor as president of the National Rally, used the language of political martyrdom to describe the moment.

"Today it is not only Marine Le Pen who was unjustly condemned: it is French democracy that was killed," Bardella said.

Éric Zemmour, another prominent far-right voice and former presidential candidate, said "It is not for judges to decide who the people must vote for."

In Paris's Republic Plaza, where public demonstrations often unfold, Le Pen detractors punched the air in celebration.

"We were here in this square to celebrate the death of her father," said Jean Dupont, 45, a schoolteacher. "And this is now the death of Le Pen's presidential ambitions."

Sophie Martin, 34, a graphic designer, was among those in a celebratory mood. "I had to check the date-I thought it was April Fool's Day," she said. "But it's not. She's finally been knocked down. We've lived with her poison in our politics for too long."

Still, not everyone welcomed the ruling. Lucien Bernard, 64, a retired civil servant, expressed concern. "It's a sad day for democracy," he said. "Whether you love or hate her, the people should not be denied a chance to express their vote in a country that is supposedly a leading Western democracy."

Even from the left, where Le Pen has long been a reviled figure, the tone was complex. The far-left France Unbowed party acknowledged the seriousness of the charges but warned against judicial overreach.

"We take note of this decision by the courts," the party said, "even though we reject on principle that legal recourse should be impossible for any defendant."

They emphasized that their opposition to Le Pen's party would continue on political - not judicial - grounds: "We will defeat them again tomorrow at the ballot box, no matter who their candidate is."