American Attitudes Toward the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement

See also

How familiar are you with the BDS movement? (American Jewish Committee, Jews September 9-October 4, general public September 15-20, 2020)

	Jews		General Public
	2019	2020	2020
Very familiar	26%	25%	5%
Somewhat familiar	36%	36%	20%
Not too familiar	14%	18%	28%
Not at all familiar	24%	21%	47%

Do you view the BDS movement as antisemitic?(American Jewish Committee, Jews September 9-October 4, general public September 15-20, 2020)

	Jews		General Public
	2019	2020	2020
Mostly antisemitic	35%	37%	21%
Some antisemitic supporters	47%	43%	47%
Not antisemitic	14%	15%	19%
Don't know/refused	4%	5%	13%

How much have you heard about BDS, or the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement aimed at Israel? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

A great deal	6%
A good amount	14%
A little	29%
I have not heard about it. Refused	52%

Based on what you have heard, do you support or oppose BDS, or the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

Support strongly	8%
Support somewhat	18%
Neither support nor oppose	26%
Oppose somewhat	9%
Oppose strongly	38%
Refused	1%
Total Support	26%
Total Oppose	47%

Tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following statement: BDS is a legitimate, peaceful way of opposing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, BDS urges action to pressure Israel to
comply with international law. Opposing Israeli policy does not equal anti-Semitism. (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

Strongly disagree	32%
Somewhat disagree	11%
Neither agree nor disagree	20%
Somewhat agree	15%
Strongly agree	21%
Refused	1%
Total Disgree	43%
Total Agree	36%

Tell me how much you agree or disagree with the following statement: Regardless of how BDS defines itself, it is an anti-Israel organization attempting to weaken Israel and to undermine its legitimacy. Some of its supporters are opponents of Israel’s very existence and may even be anti-Semitic. (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

Strongly disagree	16%
Somewhat disagree	10%
Neither agree nor disagree	23%
Somewhat agree	15%
Strongly agree	34%
Refused	2%
Total Disgree	26%
Total Agree	49%

Now tell me, which of the following is closer to your view? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

BDS is a legitimate, peaceful way of opposing Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, BDS urges action to pressure Israel to comply with international law. Opposing Israeli policy does not equal anti-Semitism.	42%
Regardless of how BDS defines itself, it is an anti-Israel organization attempting to weaken Israel and to undermine its legitimacy. Some of its supporters are opponents of Israel’s very existence and may even be anti-Semitic.	54%
I have not heard about it. Refused	4%

Which of the following is closer to your view? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

We should SUPPORT laws that penalize people who boycott Israel because these laws help protect Israel.	22%
We should OPPOSE laws that penalize people who boycott Israel because these laws infringe on the Constitutional right to free speech and peaceful protest.	72%
Refused	7%