American Attitudes Toward the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement
(2019 - Present)
Note: We are presenting raw data. When available, we provide some or all of the crosstabs (i.e., breakdowns by various categories such as party ID). To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by such things as sample size, question wording, and question order. Responses may also be influenced by context and timing; for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.
See also
- American Jewish Opinion Regarding Anti-Semitism
- American Public Opinion On Religious Discrimination
- Polls Regarding Anti-Semitism in the United States
How much, if anything, have you heard about the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, or BDS, against Israel? (Ruderman Family Foundation, October 11-November 1, 2021)
| Jews | |
| Heard some | 63% |
| A great deal | 31% |
| Not much | 18% |
| Nothing at all | 19% |
Do you support/oppose the BDS movement against Israel (asked only of those who had heard of BDS)? (Ruderman Family Foundation, October 11-November 1, 2021)
| Jews | |
| Support | 17% |
| Oppose | 66% |
How familiar are you with the BDS movement? (American Jewish Committee, Jews September 9-October 4, general public September 15-20, 2020; September 1 – October 3, 2021)
| Jews | General Public | ||||
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Very familiar | 26% | 25% | 23% | 5% | 4% |
| Somewhat familiar | 36% | 36% | 36% | 20% | 17% |
| Not too familiar | 14% | 18% | 15% | 28% | 27% |
| Not at all familiar | 24% | 21% | 26% | 47% | 52% |
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 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Mostly antisemitic | 35% | 37% | 40% | 21% | 30% |
| Some antisemitic supporters | 47% | 43% | 42% | 47% | 33% |
| Not antisemitic | 14% | 15% | 15% | 19% | 13% |
| Don't know/refused | 4% | 5% | 3% | 13% | 25% |
How much of a problem, if at all, do you think anti-Israel campaigns, such as the BDS movement, is for Jewish college students in the United States today? (AJC, September 1 – October 3, 2021)
| Jews 2021 | |
| A Problem | 54% |
| Not a Problem | 24% |
| Don't know/refused | 1% |
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% |
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