Americans Unmoved by Palestinian Support for Hamas, JCFA Survey Finds

American attitudes toward Israel remain largely unchanged even when presented with evidence that a majority of Palestinians support Hamas and its October 7, 2023, attack, according to a new study by the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA).

The survey, conducted among 322 American adults, reveals that public perceptions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are deeply entrenched and resistant to new information, regardless of its potential significance.

Led by JCFA senior researcher Dr. Irwin J. Mansdorf and Dr. Charles Jacobs of the Jewish Leadership Project, the study showed participants data from recent Palestinian polling indicating that 53% of Palestinians believe Hamas’s October 7 attack was justified. The poll also showed that 60% of Palestinians expressed satisfaction with Hamas’s wartime performance, and 44% would vote for Hamas if elections were held today.

Despite being presented with these statistics, most Americans maintained their pre-existing views. Only 19% of respondents expressed support for Israel, while 27% sympathized with Palestinians but not Hamas. Approximately 20% indicated that neither side deserves sympathy.

“The key finding is not merely the lack of impact, but the extent to which public attitudes in the U.S. are already fixed, especially among younger Americans,” Dr. Mansdorf explained. “Even when presented with clear evidence of widespread support for terrorism, their opinions barely move.”

The researchers noted that questions have been raised about the reliability of Palestinian polling data, including criticism from journalist Ahmad Fouad Alkhatib, a former Atlantic Council fellow. However, they emphasized that their conclusions about information processing among American audiences remain valid regardless of the accuracy of the underlying Palestinian data.

On the question of political resolution, initial support for an independent Palestinian state stood at 42% among respondents. This support declined sharply when participants learned that many Palestinians reject recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and that anti-Israel education and support for terrorism persist in Palestinian territories. Following this information, more respondents shifted toward favoring Israeli security control over Palestinian areas.

Dr. Jacobs attributed the resilience of pro-Palestinian sentiment to decades of advocacy that has positioned Palestinians as “ultimate victims of Western oppression,” creating what he described as “a kind of moral immunity” that persists even when confronted with evidence of support for violence.

“This offers an important signal for Israeli public diplomacy,” the researchers concluded. “To influence Western opinion, Israel must shift from broad moral arguments to focused facts and human stories that can penetrate emotional resistance.”

The findings come at a critical time in U.S.-Israel relations, with ongoing debates about American military support for Israel and increasing tensions on college campuses regarding the conflict. Recent polls from organizations like Gallup and Pew Research Center have similarly documented shifting American attitudes toward Israel, particularly among younger demographics and progressives.

The JCFA research suggests that Israel faces a significant challenge in Western public opinion that extends beyond simple information gaps. The emotional foundations of public attitudes appear to render traditional fact-based advocacy ineffective, potentially requiring new approaches to public diplomacy that emphasize personal narratives and emotional connections rather than statistical or historical arguments.

As the conflict continues to evolve, these findings may prompt both Israeli officials and pro-Israel advocates to reconsider their communication strategies in addressing Western audiences, particularly in the United States where public opinion significantly influences foreign policy decisions.