U.S. Jews' support for Israel erodes

Dr. Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis used a Haaretz podcast published on May 21 to argue that Israel is at risk of losing a strategic asset that long helped anchor its position in the United States: support from American Jews. He said the problem is no longer confined to one ideological camp, but is developing on both the left and the right. His warning came as European governments intensified pressure on senior Israeli officials, including France’s May 23 decision to bar National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory. The argument Ben Sasson-Gordis made in the podcast tracks with a paper he co-authored with Ted Sasson for the Institute for National Security Studies on April 23. That paper said Israel’s standing in the United States had deteriorated across key constituencies and that changes inside American Jewry were compounding the problem. It said Israel could find itself without a reliable support base in either U.S. party if current trends continue. (omny.fm) ### What exactly did Ben Sasson-Gordis warn about? The May 21 Haaretz podcast described Ben Sasson-Gordis, a researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute for National Security Studies, as saying Israel cannot afford to lose American Jewish backing while it is fighting enemies on multiple fronts. In the podcast description, he said the loss of the special relationship between Israel and the United States would force Israel to reconsider its security priorities and would matter greatly to Israeli security and foreign policy. (inss.org.il) The April 23 INSS paper made the same case in more formal terms. Avishay Ben Sasson-Gordis and Ted Sasson wrote that the American Jewish community has been a “valuable national security asset” for Israel because it helped secure diplomatic and military support in Washington and raised funds for Israeli civil society and nonprofit groups. They said weakening ties with that community could carry long-term political and institutional costs. (omny.fm) ### What evidence is there that support is eroding? The April 23 INSS paper cited Pew Research Center polling conducted during what it called the current campaign in Iran and said 60% of Americans viewed Israel unfavorably, up from 53% in 2025 and 42% in 2022. The paper said the deterioration was especially pronounced among younger Americans. It reported unfavorable views of Israel at 75% among Americans aged 18 to 29, including 85% among Democrats in that age group and 64% among Republicans aged 18 to 29. (inss.org.il) The same paper said the erosion was no longer explained only by Democratic disaffection. It said previous polling had already shown slippage among Republicans under 50, but that the newer data showed a majority of younger Republicans now also holding unfavorable views. That is the basis for Ben Sasson-Gordis’s argument that the problem is developing on both sides of the U.S. political spectrum. (inss.org.il) ### Why does American Jewish support matter beyond public opinion? The INSS paper said American Jews have historically mattered not only as voters, but as donors, advocates and participants in elite institutions that shape U.S. policy and public debate. Ben Sasson-Gordis argued in the Haaretz discussion that weakening support would reduce Israel’s room to operate over time in philanthropy, advocacy networks and other parts of American civic life. (inss.org.il) Jewish Insider reported this week that the think tank’s warning centered on the risk that erosion inside the American Jewish community could weaken a broader U.S.-Israel alliance. That report said the INSS analysis treated Israel’s relationship with American Jews as a national security priority rather than only a diaspora relations issue. (omny.fm) ### How does France’s move against Ben-Gvir fit into this? France said on May 23 that Ben-Gvir was banned from entering French territory. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the decision followed what he called the minister’s unacceptable actions toward French and European citizens aboard the Global Sumud flotilla, and he called on the European Union to impose sanctions as well. Reuters reported that the move reflected growing anger among governments over the treatment of activists heading to Gaza. (jewishinsider.com) That decision does not directly involve American Jews, but it adds to the external pressure surrounding the debate Ben Sasson-Gordis raised. France’s action followed public criticism of Ben-Gvir after he posted video appearing to taunt detained activists, and Reuters said he was rebuked by both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the United States. (usnews.com) ### What comes next? The next public marker is likely to be whether the European Union takes up Barrot’s call for sanctions against Ben-Gvir, a step Politico said would require unanimity among the bloc’s 27 member states. On the U.S. side, the INSS paper and the Haaretz podcast have put new attention on polling, donor behavior and the stance of organized Jewish institutions as measures of whether the erosion Ben Sasson-Gordis described is continuing. (usnews.com) (politico.eu)