Protests on U.S. college campuses opposing Israel’s continuing military campaign in Gaza reflect the views of a significant minority of Gen Z voters, a recent online survey revealed.
One-third of U.S. voters age 18 to 24 believe Israel does not have a right to exist as a nation in the Middle East, compared to only 10 percent of voters overall, according to a recent survey by RMG Research.
Summit Ministries, a conservative Christian organization committed to “equip and support rising generations to embrace God’s truth and champion a biblical worldview,” commissioned the RMG Research survey.
The comparative public opinion poll showed more than three-fourths (77 percent) of voters overall said Israel has a right to exist as a nation in the Middle East, while a little more than half (56 percent) of Gen Z voters agreed.
The RMG Research survey revealed Gen Z voters are significantly less likely than voters overall to view Hamas as a terrorist organization.
While 8 out of 10 (81 percent) of American voters overall agree with the United States classifying Hamas a terrorist group, the ratio drops to 6 out of 10 (61 percent) among voters ages 18 to 24.
A majority of American voters overall support Israel’s military campaign against Hamas, but that reflects a minority view among Gen Z voters.
The survey showed 58 percent of American voters believe Israel’s campaign against Hamas is just. Only 21 percent of voters overall said they believe Israel’s superior military strength and its wealth makes the war unjust.
In contrast, 42 percent of surveyed voters ages 18 to 24 said they consider Israel’s campaign again Hamas to be just. Almost half (47 percent) believe Israel’s greater wealth and military power makes the conflict unjust.
Campus protests spread
More than 500 students participated in an April 24 classroom walkout at the University of Texas in Austin organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee. Students demanded the university divest from manufacturers that supply Israel with weapons used in strikes on Gaza. Authorities arrested at least 34 people after police unsuccessfully tried to disperse protesters.
The walkout at the University of Texas followed a series of pro-Palestinian protests at Ivy League universities including Columbia, Yale and Harvard.
RMG Research conducted its online survey of 1,002 registered voters March 20 and 21. The sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, internet usage and political affiliation to reflect the population of registered voters more accurately. The overall margin of error is 3.1 percent. The margin of error for voters ages 18 to 24 is 4.4 percent.
This article originally appeared in the Baptist Standard.
