Poll: 87% of US college students say Israel-Hamas war not a top issue for them

An overwhelming majority of US university students aren’t participating in the anti-Israel campus protests that have swept the country and beyond, and don’t believe the Israel-Hamas war is a top issue for them, according to a Generation Lab survey reported by Axios.

The poll shows students ranked the Middle East conflict the least important out of nine options provided, with only 13% saying this is a major issue to them.

The most important issues are healthcare reforms (40%), educational funding and access (38%), economic fairness and opportunity (37%), racial justice and civil rights (36%), climate change (35%) and gun control and safety (32%).

Just 8% of the 1,250 respondents say they have taken part in either the anti-Israel encampments or counter-protests.

While 45% say they support the encampments versus 24% who oppose them, students strongly oppose many of the more incendiary tactics documented during them — 90% say blocking Israel supporters from parts of campus is unacceptable, 81% say those who vandalized property or illegally occupied buildings should be held accountable, 67% say taking over campus buildings is wrong, and 58% say refusing a university’s instruction to disperse is illegitimate.

Asked who they blame for the current situation in Gaza, 34% said Hamas, 19% blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 12% blamed the Israeli people and 12% said US President Joe Biden, the poll finds.

The poll was conducted May 3-6 among a representative sample of 1,250 college students, with a margin of error of 2.7%.