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Nearly three-quarters of American college students agree that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people, according to a new survey released in August 2026 by a research center at Brandeis University, one of the most detailed snapshots yet of how the rising generation of US undergraduates views the conflict.
The survey found that 74% of respondents agreed with the statement that Israel is carrying out genocide against Palestinians, while 25% disagreed.
The findings come from the Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University, a research center founded in 1980 that studies contemporary Jewish life and is home to the Steinhardt Social Research Institute.
The center conducted the online survey during the 2025-2026 academic year, gathering responses from 3,989 undergraduate students at 303 universities across the United States.
The poll drew a clear distinction between how students view ordinary Palestinians and Israelis and how they view the political leadership on each side. Seventy-seven percent of students reported favorable views of the Palestinian people, compared with 52% who held favorable views of the Israeli people.
That gap widened considerably when students were asked about political leadership. Only 41% expressed a positive opinion of the Palestinian Authority, while just 15% viewed the Israeli government favorably. Sentiment toward Israel's government skewed heavily negative: 46% of respondents described their view of it as "very unfavorable" and another 39% called it "unfavorable."
The survey also asked students whether they agreed that Palestinians have the right to self-determination in a Palestinian state. Eighty-two percent said they agreed, while 18% disagreed.
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