Negative sentiments about Israel rose by 7 percentage points since last year and by nearly 20 points since 2022, reports The Christian Post. Of young Americans, 70% of them – ages 18-49, including 57% of Republicans in that age bracket — have a negative view of Israel.
In general, 80% of Democrats and those Democrat-leaning held unfavorable views of Israel while 41% of Republicans and those leaning that way also held an unfavorable view.
Religion and race also played a factor in how individuals view Israel. For example, Jewish Americans and white Evangelical Protestants were more likely to hold a positive view of Israel than white non-Evangelical Protestants, Roman Catholics and black Protestants.
The study was conducted from March 23-29 from a pool of 3,507 U.S. adults.
Dr. Richard Land, former president and professor of theology at Southern Evangelical Seminary, says biased mainstream news networks are pushing the trends.
“There's been a steady drumbeat of anti-Israel propaganda in the news,” Land says.
The belief that the church has replaced Israel in God's economy, he says, is having a negative effect on the numbers.
“With a growing number of evangelicals becoming Calvinists, some of them have also brought in replacement theology,” Land states.
There's not a theological connection between the two belief systems, Land says. Instead, they are often fellow travelers.
In addition, Land points to antisemitic influences on college campuses having also driven support for Israel down.
“The Arabs have been spending billions of dollars in our universities over the past 40 years, establishing departments of Islamic studies and et cetera,” Land states.
He says it's time for pastors and Sunday school teachers to start defending the Jewish state.
“I start with preaching from the pulpit and teaching at Sunday school Genesis Chapter 12. God chose Jews. God blesses those who bless the Jews. God curses those who curse the Jews,” Land says.
