00:04For decades, one assumption has dominated political discussions in Washington that American Jews speak with one voice on Israel, that
00:15the so-called Jewish lobby is united, and that support for the Israeli government is almost unanimous among Jewish Americans.
00:23But a major news survey conducted by the Associated Press, NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, challenges many of these
00:31assumptions.
00:32The findings suggest that the American Jewish community is becoming increasingly divided, not over the existence of Israel, but over
00:41the policies of the Israeli government, especially the war with Gaza.
00:46So what exactly does this survey reveal? And does it change the way we should understand the influence of the
00:53so-called Jewish lobby in American politics? Let's break it down.
00:58First, it is important to understand what this survey is all about.
01:03According to the Associated Press, NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, more than 1,000 Jewish adults across the United
01:11States were surveyed between June 11 and June 17, 2026.
01:16The survey explored attitudes toward Israel, Zionism, anti-Semitism, identity, and politics.
01:24One of its biggest findings is that American Jews are far from a single political or ideological block.
01:31The deepest divide is between religiously affiliated Jews and secular Jews.
01:37Now, according to the AP NORC survey, around 70% of American Jewish adults identify as Jewish through religion.
01:45The remaining 30% identify as Jewish culturally, ethnically, or through family heritage, but describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, or
01:56religiously unaffiliated.
01:59That distinction turns out to matter enormously when it comes to Israel.
02:05For many religious Jews, Israel is closely connected to the religious identity, Jewish continuity, and collective security.
02:13For many secular Jews, however, Israel is viewed more through the lens of politics, democracy, and human rights.
02:23The differences become even sharper when respondents were asked about the Gaza war.
02:28According to the AP survey, only about half of religiously affiliated Jews believe Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza are
02:37justified.
02:38Even among this more supportive group, opinion is not unanimous.
02:44Roughly one in four believes Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a charge made by some international human
02:52rights organization,
02:53but firmly rejected by both the Israeli and the U.S. governments.
02:58Among secular Jews, criticism is even stronger.
03:01Only around two in 10 believe Israel's military operations are justified.
03:08Nearly four in 10 believe Israel has committed genocide.
03:11And almost three quarters say they have little or no emotional attachment to Israel.
03:17These are striking numbers because they suggest that criticism of Israeli government policy is increasingly coming from within Jewish communities
03:27themselves,
03:28not only from the outside of them.
03:31Another revealing finding concerns Zionism.
03:34The word Zionist has become one of the most politically contested terms in today's debates.
03:40Historically, Zionism referred to the movement supporting a Jewish homeland in Israel.
03:46Today, however, different people use the term in different ways.
03:50According to the AP survey, religious Jews are far from likely to identify strongly as Zionists.
03:58Among secular Jews, only a small minority describe themselves that way, while many say the label does not describe them
04:06well.
04:07Again, the survey reflects growing diversity of opinion rather than a single consensus.
04:12The survey also explored attitudes toward political leaders.
04:16Perhaps the most surprising finding involves Zohran Mamdani and Benjamin Netanyahu.
04:23Despite being one of Israel's strongest critics in American politics, Zohran Mamdani received a higher favorable rating among American Jews
04:32than Netanyahu.
04:33According to the APNORC survey, 44% viewed Mamdani favorably.
04:39Netanyahu received favorable ratings from only 32%, while a clear majority expressed an unfavorable opinion of him.
04:48That does not necessarily mean American Jews oppose Israel.
04:52It does suggest that many distinguish between support for Israel as a country and support for Netanyahu's government.
05:00That distinction is becoming increasingly important in American politics.
05:06Now, let's address the phrase that often appears in political debates, the Jewish lobby.
05:10The term is widely used in public discussions, but it can also be misleading if it implies that all Jewish
05:18Americans or all Jewish organizations share identical political goals.
05:23In reality, there is no single organization that represents all Jewish Americans.
05:29Instead, there are numerous advocacy groups with different priorities.
05:34Some strongly support the current Israeli government, others support Israel while criticizing specific policies.
05:41Still, others advocate primarily for peace, human rights, or a negotiated two-state solution.
05:48Organizations also differ in their political influence, funding priorities, and policy agendas.
05:55So, when commentators speak about the Jewish lobby, they are often referring to a broad network of pro-Israeli advocacy
06:04organizations rather than one unified body.
06:07The AAP survey suggests that the diversity of opinion among American Jews is becoming more visible.
06:14That could gradually influence the priorities and messaging of some advocacy organizations, even though well-established groups continue to wield
06:24significant influence in Washington.
06:26So, does this mean pro-Israeli influence in U.S. politics is disappearing or weakening?
06:32Well, not at all.
06:34Support for Israel continues to enjoy bipartisan backing in Congress, although the degree and nature of that support have evolved
06:43in recent years.
06:44Many lawmakers still view Israel as a key strategic ally in the Middle East.
06:49At the same time, debates within both major political parties have become more open,
06:55particularly regarding humanitarian concerns in Gaza and the policies of the current Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
07:04The AAP findings indicate that these broader political debates are also reflected with American Jewish communities themselves.
07:13The larger takeaway is this.
07:15American Jews are not moving uniformly in one direction.
07:19They remain deeply connected by history, identity, and concerns about anti-Semitism.
07:25But when it comes to Netanyahu, Gaza, Zionism, and Israeli government policies, there is increasing diversity of opinion.
07:34For decades, many political observers assumed that American Jewish opinion on Israel was largely unified.
07:41The AAP-NORC survey suggests that assumption no longer captures the full picture.
07:48It reveals a community that is debating difficult questions internally about identity, security, democracy, and the future of Israel itself.
07:58And as those debates continue, they are likely to shape not only American Jewish politics,
08:03but also the broader U.S.-Israel relationship in the years to come.
08:08This report is courtesy survey findings referenced in the explainer.
08:13They are based on research conducted by the Associated Press, NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
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