American Jews remain overwhelmingly pro-Israel, but a clear majority believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s actions have increased antisemitism in the United States, according to a new survey published by the Mellman Group for the Jewish Electorate Institute on Tuesday.
The survey revealed divisions among US Jews regarding Israeli leadership, US military aid, and pro-Israel lobbying. The poll highlighted a community highly critical of the current Israeli government despite strong baseline support for the state itself.
A full 86% of American Jews identified as pro-Israel. Yet 61% said they held an unfavorable view of Netanyahu.
A 56% majority say Netanyahu’s actions have directly increased antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in the US. This concern splits along party lines. 65% of Jewish Democrats, 46% of Independents, and 34% of Jewish Republicans share it.
While most American Jews are not closely following Israel's October elections, 60% want Netanyahu replaced, according to statistics reported by the Mellman Group. Only 16% want him reelected.
Divisions on US military aid among American Jews
A narrow majority of American Jews said they supported reducing or ending US military funding to Israel.
The poll found 52% backed cuts to the $3.3 billion aid package. This included 17% who want aid eliminated entirely and 36% who want it reduced.
The divide is strictly partisan. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of Jewish Democrats supported cutting aid. Conversely, 67% of Republicans and 65% of Independents opposed cuts and want to keep funding at current levels. Four in ten voters remained concerned about congressional efforts to defund defensive systems like the Iron Dome.
When asked about groups targeting candidates deemed insufficiently pro-Israel, 45% of Jewish voters say such efforts are "more important than ever." However, 37% say these "heavy-handed efforts" alienate voters and worsen the situation.
US Jews mixed on feelings toward AIPAC
AIPAC, the largest pro-Israel spender in the primaries, held a mixed favorability rating. Overall, 42% viewed AIPAC favorably and 35% viewed it unfavorably. It retained strong support among Republicans (71%) and Independents (55%), but Jewish Democrats were divided, with 44% viewing it unfavorably.
Jewish voters still heavily favored the Democratic Party. In a generic congressional ballot, Democrats lead Republicans 71% to 23% among Jews.
Despite the apparent loyalty found in the survey's data, Jewish Democrats held growing concerns about their own party.
Both major US parties faced internal trust issues regarding antisemitism. The poll found 60% of Jews believed antisemitism was rising in the Republican Party, while 57% said it was rising in the Democratic Party. Half of all Jewish Democrats said antisemitism was growing within their own ranks.
Furthermore, 51% of Jewish voters no longer believed the term "pro-Israel" accurately described the Democratic Party. Over a third of Jewish Democrats said the rise of anti-Israel candidates made it harder for them to identify with the party.
The Mellman Group conducted the survey of 800 Jewish registered voters online between August 25 and September 3, 2026. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.