Most Americans, and nearly 90 per cent of American Jews, say they have seen a rise in antisemitism since October 7.
However, the survey also found that one in 10 respondents says Americans should be allowed to call for violence against Jews or Muslims. By contrast, 73% say such calls should be prohibited, reports The Times of Israel.
The survey, published by the Pew Research Center, found that an increasing number of Americans and American Jews believe that there has been a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the United States since October 7.
Besides the 10% who said that calls for violence should be allowed, the survey found that most Americans say that advocacy for the end of a Jewish state or the prevention of a Palestinian one should also be permitted. Respondents who said that calls for violence should be allowed were more likely to be adults under 50.
„Many Americans particularly sense that discrimination against Muslims and Jews has risen since the start of the Israel-Hamas war,” reads an introduction to the survey on Pew’s website. „The vast majority of US Muslims and Jews themselves agree.”
„It finds that Americans are broadly comfortable with speech both for and against Israeli and Palestinian statehood. But most US adults are not OK with calls for violence against Jews or Muslims.”
The survey, which was taken in February and polled more than 12,600 people, has an overall margin of error of 1.5%.
The survey showed that 67% of Muslims and 72% of Jews perceive „a lot” of discrimination against their respective groups. While only 17% of Muslims reported seeing a lot of discrimination against Jews, 57% of Jews polled say there is „a lot” of discrimination against Muslims. Among Americans overall, 40% say there is a lot of discrimination against Jews, double the figure from a 2021 poll, and 44% of Americans overall said Muslims face a lot of discrimination.
Overall, the majority of Americans and American Jews say they are comfortable with speech both for and against Palestinian statehood and Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.
The survey also found that 74% of American Jews and 60% of Muslims say they have been personally offended by something they saw or read on the news or on social media about the Israel-Hamas war. Roughly a quarter of each group says they have also stopped talking to someone in person or unfollowed or blocked someone online due to something that person said about the war.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Frank Augstein
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