Mad at Israel? It’s the Evangelicals, Stupid!

The English language press, including The Times of Israel, has been replete with reports of violent attacks on Jews that have been growing exponentially following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. Behind these world-wide attacks against Jews, mainly undertaken by Palestinians and pro-Palestinian activists, is the notion that Jews are responsible for the death and destruction inflicted by the IDF in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as attacks against Palestinians in the Palestinian Territories. But this focus on Jewish culpability is largely misplaced.

While I am by no means in a position to definitively analyze polling data, there are some interesting results of recent polling. Between March 5 and March 25, 2025, the Jewish Federations of North America sponsored a poll of American Jews that included questions regarding Jewish attitudes toward Israel and Zionism. Perhaps the most striking result is that while 88% of Jews believe that “Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state,” only 37% define themselves as Zionists. Follow-up questions reveal that the self-described non-Zionists and anti-Zionists have a far different understanding of what the word ‘Zionism’ means than the self-described Zionists. Non-Zionists and anti-Zionists are far more likely to aver a definition of Zionism that includes Israel’s right to the West Bank and Gaza Strip, or that Zionism includes the belief that the Palestinians are a made-up people, or that Zionism includes supporting whatever actions Israel takes. These positions receive less support by far from self-described Zionists.

When it comes to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, 91% of Jewish respondents declared that “the way Hamas carried out the attack” was completely unacceptable. Seventy-one percent felt that “Hamas’ reasons for fighting Israel are” either completely or somewhat invalid. On the other hand, 17% said that their reasons for fighting Israel were somewhat valid, and it appears that a bit less than 10% responded that their reasons for fighting Israel were completely valid. When asked about how they viewed Israel’s response to the attack, 55% said the response was either completely or somewhat acceptable, while 40% said it was either completely or somewhat unacceptable.

Now let’s take a look at another enthusiastically pro-Israel community: Evangelical Christians. Between June 21 and July 1, 2024, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs polled Americans on issues regarding Israel, including its actions in Gaza. When asked for their response to the statement, “Israel is defending its interests and its military actions are justified,” 64% of white Protestant Evangelicals agreed with this statement. That’s more than the 55% of Jews who said the response was either completely or somewhat acceptable. Only 11% of Evangelicals said Israel’s actions were unjustified compared to 40% of Jews.

Now let’s take a look at views expressed by US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, an ordained Southern Baptist minister and a staunch Evangelical. On February 21, 2026, Ambassador Huckabee was interviewed by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson, who has become an outspoken critic of Israel. Citing Genesis 15, wherein God promises to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,”–territory that now includes parts of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria and Iraq–Carlson asked Huckabee if “Israel has the right to that land.” Huckabee responded, “It would be fine if they took it all.” As far as I know, there is no Jewish Zionist that has made that claim.

An April 22, 2026, article in the Forward reports on a bill recently passed by the Tennessee legislature banning the use of the term “West Bank” in state documents, including in state educational materials. The preferred designation is “Judea and Samaria” used by many in Israel, most especially by Israeli West Bank settlers and their supporters. According to the Forward, similar laws are being considered in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia. Other than Arizona and Florida, these states have Jewish populations less than 0.05% of the total population. According to the World Atlas, on the other hand, Tennessee, Alabama and Oklahoma are in the top four of states in terms of percentage of population that are Evangelical Christians, 52%, 49% and 47% respectively. Clearly, these laws are not being passed with pressure from the states’ miniscule Jewish populations, but with pressure from Evangelical Christians.

On January 31, 2025, Republican Congresswoman Claudia Tenny of New York introduced the “Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act” in Congress. According to Rep. Tenny’s press release, the bill would “require all official United States documents and materials to use the term ‘Judea and Samaria’ instead of the ‘West Bank.’” All of the co-sponsors of the congressional bill are Republican. The bill was also introduced in the Senate and is working its way through committees. Tenny also announced the formation of the “Friends of Judea and Samaria Caucus to Support Israel’s Sovereignty.” According to a February 27, 2025, article in the Forward, none of the Jewish members of Congress has joined this caucus.

So c’mon Palestinians and Palestinian supporters. I know it’s easy to pick on the West’s eternal scapegoat, the Jews. But while you’re protesting and resisting at synagogues and other Jewish venues; while you’re murdering Jews for supporting Israel, perhaps you should move your protests to Evangelical churches. See how that works out fur ya!