A Brandeis survey of nearly 4,000 college students finds 46% rate the Israeli government "very unfavorable," compared with 43% for Hamas, and 85% unfavorable overall.
A new Brandeis University report finds that 46% of surveyed college students rate the Israeli government "very unfavorable," compared with 43% who rate Hamas that harshly. Combined unfavorable ratings reach 85% for the Israeli government versus 82% for Hamas. Both figures come from a survey of nearly 4,000 students across 303 U.S. colleges, conducted in fall 2025 by Brandeis's Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies (CMJS).
Does the Israeli Government Rank Below Hamas in the Brandeis Poll?
Yes. On the report's harshest rating category, the Israeli government scores worse than Hamas by three points, and the same pattern holds for combined unfavorable ratings. No other entity the report measured, including the Palestinian Authority, the Israeli people, or the Palestinian people, scores as negatively as the Israeli government.
What Does "Below Hamas" Mean in This Context?
"Below Hamas" means the Israeli government is viewed more negatively than Hamas by the students surveyed, not more favorably. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department. A three-point gap on the "very unfavorable" measure (46% versus 43%) and a similar gap on combined unfavorable ratings (85% versus 82%) place the Israeli government at the bottom of the report's five-entity favorability ranking.
What Is the Full Favorability Ranking in the Brandeis Report?
Brandeis's Figure 4 ranks five entities by combined favorable and unfavorable ratings. From most to least favorably viewed: the Palestinian people (77% favorable, 23% unfavorable), the Israeli people (52% favorable, 48% unfavorable), the Palestinian Authority (41% favorable, 59% unfavorable), Hamas (18% favorable, 82% unfavorable), and the Israeli government (15% favorable, 85% unfavorable).
| Entity | Very Unfavorable | Mostly Unfavorable | Mostly Favorable | Very Favorable | Total Favorable | Total Unfavorable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palestinian people | 6% | 17% | 47% | 30% | 77% | 23% |
| Israeli people | 11% | 37% | 42% | 10% | 52% | 48% |
| Palestinian Authority | 16% | 43% | 36% | 5% | 41% | 59% |
| Hamas | 43% | 39% | 16% | 2% | 18% | 82% |
| Israeli government | 46% | 39% | 13% | 2% | 15% | 85% |
How Large Is the Gap Between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority?
The gap is 26 percentage points. The Israeli government draws 85% combined unfavorable ratings, while the Palestinian Authority draws 59% combined unfavorable. Among the five entities Brandeis measured, the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority represent the two governing bodies, and students rate the Israeli government considerably worse than the Palestinian Authority on this measure.
Do Students Separate Governments From the People They Govern?
Most do, according to Brandeis researcher Graham Wright, the report's first author. The largest student group, 49% of respondents, are classified in the report as "civilian sympathizers": they view both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people favorably while viewing the Israeli government, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority unfavorably. Students were roughly split, about half and half, between favorable and unfavorable views of Israeli people specifically, a very different number from the 85% unfavorable toward the Israeli government.
How Many Students Say Israel Is Committing Genocide?
Close to three-quarters of all surveyed students agreed with the statement that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, according to the report. Notably, a quarter of students who view Israel favorably also agreed that its government is committing genocide, a pattern Wright attributed to some students using the word as shorthand for disapproval of specific government actions rather than a formal legal judgment.
Does Political Ideology Predict These Views?
Yes, more than the student's overall stance on the conflict does. The report found that political ideology was a stronger predictor of whether a student agreed Israel is committing genocide than the student's broader position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Students identifying as liberal were considerably more likely to agree with the genocide statement than students identifying as moderate or conservative.
How Do Jewish Students' Views Compare to the Overall Sample?
Jewish students in the survey were more likely to view Israel favorably than their non-Jewish peers. The report included 743 Jewish respondents, about 19% of the nearly 4,000-student sample. Of those, 29% viewed Israel favorably, the highest share of any ethno-religious group Brandeis measured. The largest share of Jewish respondents, 56%, were also "civilian sympathizers," the same top category as the overall student sample. A smaller share, 9% of Jewish respondents, held unfavorable views of both the Israeli government and the Israeli people while viewing Palestinians favorably.
What Is the Source of This Data?
The report, titled "American Undergraduates and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict," was published in August 2026 by Brandeis University's Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies. Its first author is Graham Wright, an associate research scientist at Brandeis. The full report is archived on Brandeis ScholarWorks. Additional reporting on the findings appears in the Forward (Hannah Feuer, August 27, 2026) and Al-Quds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Israeli government rated worse than Hamas by college students?
Yes. Brandeis's 2026 report on nearly 4,000 college students found 46% rate the Israeli government "very unfavorable," compared with 43% for Hamas, and 85% combined unfavorable for the Israeli government versus 82% for Hamas.
What percentage of college students view the Israeli government unfavorably?
85% of surveyed students hold an unfavorable view of the Israeli government overall, combining "very unfavorable" (46%) and "mostly unfavorable" (39%) ratings.
What percentage of college students view Hamas unfavorably?
82% of surveyed students hold an unfavorable view of Hamas overall, combining "very unfavorable" (43%) and "mostly unfavorable" (39%) ratings.
How does the Palestinian Authority compare to the Israeli government in favorability?
The Palestinian Authority draws 59% combined unfavorable ratings, 26 percentage points lower than the Israeli government's 85% combined unfavorable rating.
Do students view Israeli people the same way they view the Israeli government?
No. Students were roughly split, about half and half, between favorable and unfavorable views of Israeli people, compared with 85% unfavorable toward the Israeli government specifically.
How many students believe Israel is committing genocide?
Close to three-quarters of all surveyed students agreed with the statement that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians, according to the Brandeis report.
Who conducted the study?
Graham Wright, an associate research scientist at Brandeis University's Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies, is the first author of the report, published in August 2026.
How many students were surveyed and where?
The report surveyed nearly 4,000 college students across 303 U.S. colleges during fall 2025.
Related Coverage: See The Olam's Universities & Research hub for more campus coverage, and Global Jewish Philanthropy for related funding-network context.
