NEW YORK — A Washington Post poll conducted in September finds nearly four in 10 American Jews say Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, even as an overwhelming majority blame Hamas for civilian deaths and three-quarters say Israel’s existence is vital to the Jewish future.
The survey of 815 Jewish adults shows 39 percent answered yes when asked whether Israel has committed genocide, 61 percent said Israel has committed war crimes, and 68 percent said Hamas bears more blame than Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza.
At the same time, the poll underscores continuing emotional attachment to Israel. Seventy-six percent of respondents said Israel’s existence is vital for the long-term future of the Jewish people, and 59 percent said they still believe a peaceful coexistence between Israel and a Palestinian state is possible.
The poll also revealed acute personal concern. Roughly 31 percent of respondents said they feel less safe as Jews in the United States today, reflecting broader worries about antisemitism that community groups and security officials have flagged in recent months.
Generational, partisan, and gender splits shaped responses. Younger Jews were more likely to endorse the genocide charge, with about half of those aged 18 to 34 saying yes on that question, while older cohorts were far less likely to agree. Jewish Republicans proved far more supportive of Israel’s conduct than Jewish Democrats.
Many respondents described conflicting sentiments. Some said they still feel cultural and historical ties to Israel but disapprove of the current government’s conduct. “Initially, Israel, in a sens,e had no choice. You can’t let your national security be threatened that way,” said Julia Seidman, a survey participant from Washington state, adding she has since recoiled at the ongoing human suffering.
The poll captured sharp disapproval of Israel’s leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sixty-eight percent of Jewish respondents rated his leadership negatively, with nearly half calling it poor. At the same time, 94 percent said Hamas committed war crimes against Israelis.
Community leaders and analysts say the results reflect a crisis of confidence rather than a collapse of ties. Advocates for Israel emphasized enduring bonds and the poll’s finding that most respondents still view Israel as essential to Jewish security. Critics of Israeli policy cited mounting civilian suffering in Gaza and contested government strategy as drivers of the discontent.
Security concerns and reports of rising antisemitic incidents across North America and Europe have sharpened the debate and underlined the stakes for communal cohesion. Recent surveys and community reports have documented growing fears and an increase in incidents that Jewish institutions say require stepped-up protection and political response.
The Washington Post poll was conducted Sept. 2 to Sept. 9 among a representative panel of 815 U.S. Jewish adults and carries a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.7 percentage points. The questionnaire and technical details are publicly available in the Post’s survey documentation.
For readers in the pro-Israel community, the results are a reminder of two realities: deep loyalty to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, and growing impatience and moral unease with the way the Gaza war has been fought. Those tensions are reshaping advocacy, philanthropy, and political engagement within the Jewish American community and with elected leaders in Washington.
This article is based on verified information from The Washington Post poll and reporting, and corroborating coverage by Times of Israel and surveys of Jewish community sentiment and safety.