American Jews believe that Vice President Kamala Harris would handle the Israel-Hamas war better than former President Donald Trump, but most view Trump as more supportive of Israelis, according to a poll.
In total, 54 percent of American Jews surveyed for Forward by CHIP50 thought that Harris would handle the Israel-Hamas war “definitely” and “probably” better than Trump, compared to 36 percent who thought the Republican candidate would handle it better.
The results also suggest that the majority of American Jews intend to vote for Harris, with 60 percent of U.S. Jewish adults polled saying they would vote for Harris—double the 30 percent who intend to choose Trump.
The ongoing war in the Middle East is a key issue for voters in the 2024 election. President Joe Biden’s administration has stood firmly with Israel since last year’s October 7 Hamas attack, but Harris’ rhetoric around Israel has been increasingly criticized since she replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee.
Newsweek reached out to the Trump and Harris campaigns outside of normal working hours via email for comment.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff walk over to plant a pomegranate tree at the Vice President’s residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory on October 7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. According to poll for Forward by CHIP50, 54 percent of American Jews believe that Harris would handle the Israel-Hamas war better than Trump.
Kent Nishimura/Getty Images
Of the Jewish respondents to the poll, 65 percent said that Trump “only” or “mostly” supported Israelis, with 34 percent saying this about Harris. In total, 14 per cent of respondents believed that Trump “only” or “mostly” supported Palestinian people, while 25 percent said this about Harris.
The CHIP50 poll was conducted online between August 20 and October 8, surveying 907 Jewish adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.
At the Democratic National Convention in August, Harris spoke in support of Palestinian statehood and addressed the ongoing war in Gaza and described the loss of lives as “devastating.”
The Forward/CHIP50 poll follows data that showed an increase in antisemitism had led to some Jewish voters being more inclined to vote Republican in November, one year on from the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and the ensuing conflict.
While the poll shows Harris with a clear vote share lead on Trump, it is a decline on that achieved by Biden (who reportedly obtained around 77 percent, according to exit polls) and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton (who achieved around 70 percent).
In September, Trump suggested that if he were to lose the 2024 election, Jewish people would share a significant amount of the blame. He said: “I’m not going to call this a prediction, but in my opinion, the Jewish people would have a lot to do with the loss.”
The remarks, which the former president made at a campaign event called “Fighting Anti-Semitism in America,” were quickly condemned by Jewish groups.
Former federal prosecutor Mimi Rocah, whose father survived the Holocaust, said that Trump’s comments were “dangerous antisemitism,” and that the Republican candidate was laying “the groundwork for a scapegoat.”
The former president has also said that any Jew who votes for the Democrats needs to get their “head examined,” and also said that any Jewish person who opts for the Democrats “hates their religion.”
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