A recent poll showed that nearly half of Americans in the youngest adult generation sympathized with the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, which launched the Oct. 7 terrorist attack that killed 1,200 people. The poll results come as student protesters have seized control over parts of major campuses nationwide.
According to the ummit.org/RMG Research, Generation Z was the most sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Americans as a whole said that Israel’s operation in Gaza following the Hamas terrorist attack was “just.” However, among those aged 18-24, just 42% agreed. More said that the military action was unjust than just.
Furthermore, 61% of Generation Z voters said it was right that the United States deemed Hamas a terrorist organization, compared to 81% of the general public.
DATA: Gen Z As Likely To Call Hamas 'Freedom Fighters' As They Are 'Terrorists'.
Read more:https://t.co/1cr2DiWioP
Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are just as likely to call members of Hamas "freedom fighters" as the…
— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) December 6, 2023
The poll also found that one-third of the youngest generation believes that Israel has no right to exist, as compared to 10% of the population at large.
Similar polls have found that up to about half of Generation Z voters said that they had at least some sympathy with Hamas over Israel.
Columbia University was home to some of the most dramatic protest scenes over the last week. Students occupied part of an academic building before being removed by police. More than 100 students were arrested, including the daughter of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).
Furthermore, students have been building tent towns on certain campuses, including Yale and Columbia. Police at Yale University tore down the tents over the weekend while police started to dismantle the shanties on Monday at Columbia.
Several other campuses in New York City soon saw tents pop up.
Young people have been at the forefront of the pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests in recent weeks. One person who appeared to be a student was photographed holding a sign calling for Hamas to target pro-Israel demonstrators on campus.
At Yale, one Jewish student was stabbed in the eye by a Palestinian flag.
As the protests have grown so has criticism, including from a number of Republicans, as well as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) and the White House.
