Support for US-led war on Iran declines among American Jews, surveys show

WASHINGTON: Support for the US-led war against Iran has weakened among sections of the American-Jewish community, while opposition has increased, according to recent survey findings.

Two separate polls cited in the reports point to growing unease as the conflict continued, though they surveyed different parts of the community. The Jewish People Policy Institute’s Voice of the Jewish People Index, which tracks views among a more engaged segment of American Jews involved in organised communal life, showed support falling over time.

According to that survey, backing for the war stood at 68pc in the first week of the conflict, dropped to 62pc by the third week, and then slipped further to 60pc in the week after the ceasefire. Over the same period, opposition rose from 26pc to 34pc.

A separate nationwide poll conducted by GBAO Strategies for the advocacy group J Street, which covered a broader sample of American Jewish voters, suggested opposition was more widespread. That survey found that about 60pc opposed the war in March.

Sharp ideological divide

The Voice of the Jewish People Index also showed a strong split along ideological lines. Among respondents identifying as strong liberals, 71pc opposed the war. Those described as leaning liberal were the most divided, with 42pc supporting the campaign and 44pc opposing it, while 15pc said they were undecided or did not express a clear opinion.

By contrast, support was nearly unanimous among conservatives. Approval reached 96pc among strong conservatives and 94pc among leaning conservatives. Centrist respondents also largely backed the war, with 83pc expressing support.

The same survey found that support remained comparatively high among Jewish respondents outside the United States in the first week after the ceasefire. It recorded support at 81pc in Canada and 75pc in the United Kingdom, while opposition remained limited at between roughly one-sixth and one-quarter.

Perceptions within social circles

The survey also tracked how respondents viewed opinion within their own social environments. At the beginning of the war, 53pc said most of their Jewish acquaintances supported the campaign. Within a month, that figure had fallen to 43pc.

During the same period, the share of respondents who said opposition existed in their social circles rose from 20pc to 28pc. The ideological breakdown again showed clear differences. Among liberals, 56pc said opposition to the war was more common in their social circles, compared with 21pc who said they saw support.

Among centrists and conservatives, however, perceived support in their social environments ranged from 59pc to 63pc, while perceived opposition was 14pc or lower. The survey also noted that a relatively large number of respondents selected don’t know, indicating possible reluctance or avoidance in discussing the issue socially.

Views on the war’s outcome

Assessments of the war’s success also became less positive among US respondents. The proportion describing the campaign as a major success fell from 24pc to 14pc between March and April. Over the same period, the share calling it a failure rose from 14pc to 25pc.

Overall, the percentage of respondents who viewed the war as successful, combining major success and somewhat successful, declined from 66pc in March to 56pc in April. Negative assessments increased from 26pc to 40pc.