Catholics, Protestants and white evangelical Christians under the age of 50 all report unfavourable views of Israel. The country is especially unpopular among Catholics, with 74 percent of those under 50 expressing negative opinions.
Even among white evangelicals, an influential group within US President Donald Trump’s political base, support appears to be weakening. Among those under 50, 50 percent view Israel negatively, compared to 47 percent who hold a favourable view.
INSS noted that white evangelicals have traditionally been the most consistently pro-Israel group outside the Jewish community.
The report also highlighted that while Catholics have not historically been a central base of support for Israel, their political significance is increasing due in part to figures such as US Vice President JD Vance and other conservative Catholic voices within the emerging American right.
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In its conclusion, the INSS warned that these trends represent a serious challenge to a key pillar of Israel’s national security. Combined with other recent surveys, the findings suggested that no young demographic in the general US population currently holds a clearly positive view of Israel.
Even among older age groups, unfavourable perceptions are becoming more entrenched. If this trajectory continues, INSS argued, Israel could face a situation in which it no longer has a stable base of support in either major American political party.
The report further emphasised that shifts within the American Jewish community compound this trend. According to INSS, the organised Jewish community, long considered a core pillar of support for Israel, is experiencing declining political influence, alongside increasing dissatisfaction among American Jews with Israeli government policy. This is contributing to more critical views of Israel, particularly among younger Jews.