Anti-Zionism is antisemitism, say US and Israeli Jews

Poll shows the vast majority of American and Israeli Jews believe that anti-Zionism is usually antisemitic – while few Israeli Arabs believe anti-Zionism is ever related to anti-Jewish bigotry.

By World Israel News Staff

Large majorities of both Israeli and American Jews believe that anti-Zionism is typically an expression of antisemitism, according to a new poll, while Israeli Arabs rarely believe anti-Zionism is linked to anti-Jewish bigotry.

The poll was conducted jointly by The Madad and Afkar Research from December 1st to the 4th, and published Sunday morning by The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI).

It found that American and Israeli Jews hold similar views on their perceptions of Zionism, the relationship between anti-Zionism and antisemitism, as well as the identification with the Zionist movement.

Among Israeli Jews, 65% say anti-Zionism is usually or always a form of antisemitism, compared to 72% of American Jews. A further 16% of Israeli Jews and 17% of American Jews believe anti-Zionism is sometimes antisemitic.

Just 14% of Israeli Jews and 11% of American Jews said that anti-Zionism and antisemitism are “two separate phenomena.”

However, few Israeli Arabs believe rejection of the Jewish national movement is antisemitic, according to the poll.

Just 17% said anti-Zionism is usually or always antisemitic, while 14% said it is sometimes antisemitic.

A plurality (42%) said the two are separate phenomena.

Last month, the JPPI Jewish People Index found that 70% of American Jews define themselves as Zionists, with 12% identifying as non-Zionists, 5% as post-Zionists, and 3% as anti-Zionists.

This pattern mirrors identification among Israeli Jews, though Jews in Israel were even more likely to identify as Zionists, with 85% defining themselves as such, compared to 2% who called themselves non-Zionists, 2% who identified as post-Zionists, and just 1% who said they were anti-Zionists.

Israeli Arabs were far less likely to identify as Zionists, however, with just 4% defining themselves as such, with the plurality (39%) calling themselves non-Zionists, compared to 15% who are anti-Zionist, and 3% who are post-Zionist.

While just 1% of Israeli Jews and 4% of American Jews said they agree with the claim that Zionism is racism, nearly half (42%) of Arab Israelis endorsed this belief.