Antisemitism linked to support for political violence in the US.

Antisemitic attitudes, not just criticism of Israel, predict support for political violence, new study finds.

Why it matters

  • Links antisemitism, not just Israel criticism, to political violence.
  • Highlights prejudice’s role in motivating illegal actions.

By the numbers

  • 542 U.S. adults surveyed.
  • 40% pro-Jew/pro-Israel; 18% pro-Jew/anti-Israel; 15% weak anti-Jew/anti-Israel; 25% ambivalent; 2% strong anti-Jew/anti-Israel.
  • Antisemitic groups more supportive of violence.

The big picture

  • Antisemitism drives political violence more than Israel criticism.
  • Differentiating these attitudes aids understanding of political actions.

What they're saying

  • Concerns about conflating Israel criticism with antisemitism.

Caveats

  • Self-reported attitudes may not reflect real behavior.
  • Sample may not be fully representative.

What’s next

  • Study attitude changes over time and in different contexts.
  • Use qualitative methods for deeper insights.