A new poll has revealed that a shockingly large minority of Democrats back the terror group Hamas.
The fresh survey, conducted by Issues and Insights and the Techno Metrica Institute of Policy and Politics sheds light on the complex dynamics of partisan support in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, where one in five Democrats expressed support for Hamas.
The questionnaire, carried out between November 1-3, showed that 20 percent of Democrats sided with Hamas, while 54 percent expressed support for Israel. A significant portion, 26 percent, remained unsure of their stance. In contrast, only 7 percent of Republicans expressed support for Hamas, with a substantial 71 percent aligning with Israel. Independents were found to be more supportive of Israel (50 percent) compared to Hamas (6 percent), with a significant 44 percent remaining undecided.
The poll delved deeper into the correlation between age groups and their level of support. Participants aged 18-24 were found to be more inclined to back Hamas (17 percent) or remain undecided (53 percent). In contrast, older participants aged 65 and above were overwhelmingly supportive of Israel (84 percent).
Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, there has been a noteworthy upsurge in reported antisemitic behavior targeting Jewish individuals nationwide. The poll also addressed this issue and found that 74 percent of respondents considered antisemitic behavior a “serious” concern. Interestingly, a higher percentage of Democrats (82 percent) labeled the issue “serious” compared to Republicans (76 percent) and independents (66 percent).
Conducted online and involving 1,400 adults, the poll holds a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points. The results underscore the deep partisan divides in views on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the heightened concern about antisemitic behavior in the United States.
What is Hamas?
Hamas is a Palestinian political and military group that has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2006. It was founded as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood Islamist group in 1987 during the First Intifada, a violent uprising against Israel. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by some countries and entities, including the United States, Israel, the European Union, and others. The group’s founding charter calls for a genocide against all Jews.
On October 7th the group, along with other terror organizations operating in Gaza, launched a barrage of rockets at Israel and stormed into Israeli towns in an unprecedented surprise attack during the Simchat Torah Jewish holiday.
The devastating attack resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 Israeli civilians in one day, as well as more than 350 Israeli soldiers and police in various locations, including towns, kibbutzim, military bases, and even a music festival. Additionally, around 200 Israeli civilians and soldiers were kidnapped and taken hostage in the Gaza Strip, including approximately 30 children.
President Joe Biden condemned the attack as the “deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust”.
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
