Evangelical beliefs and practices are the most reliable indicator of American Christians’ support for Israel, according to new research. The study of “Christian Attitudes Toward the War in Gaza in 2024” included 2,033 self-identified American Christian adults.

Surveys were conducted March 8-14, 2024, by Motti Inbari, professor of Jewish studies at the University of North Carolina-Pembroke, and Kirill Bumin, associate dean of Boston University Metropolitan College.

Key Findings

The study’s major findings include the following:

• The single biggest reason most Christians support Israel is the belief that God’s covenant with the Jewish people still exists. Christians who believe that God’s covenant is still valid are 180 percent more sympathetic toward Israel than others.
• A belief that “Jews need a state of their own after the Holocaust” is the second major justification for support. Christians who hold this belief are 122 percent more likely to strongly support Israel in the Gaza war.
• The third major factor is the belief that “Israel is the United States’ closest ally in an unstable region.” This belief increases the likelihood of support for Israel by 95.3 percent.
• Survey respondents’ ages are also important, ranking as the fourth major factor in determining support for the Jewish state. Respondents ages 50-64 are “repeatedly the most pro-Israel age group,” the report said. Compared to the 65-and-older group, the 50-64-year-olds were 64.5 percent more likely to strongly support Israel. Younger Christians, as a group, are less supportive.

Other findings include the following:

• People ages 30 and younger are 47 percent less likely to express strong support for Israel than people 65 years and older.
• African Americans are 59.6 percent less likely to support Israel than people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
• The belief that a “future literal kingdom with Jerusalem as the national and spiritual capital of Israel and God’s kingdom on earth” increases strong support for Israel by 82.7 percent.”
• Conservative political beliefs increase the likelihood of strong support by 27.7 percent.

Christianity’s Jewish Roots

The survey also looked at the antisemitic idea that the Jewish people as a whole are responsible for Christ’s crucifixion. This belief resulted in “generations of antisemitism” in Europe and the U.S. However, only 8 percent of Christian respondents agree with the belief, while 62 percent blame “the sins of humanity” or see the crucifixion as “part of God’s plan.”

Antisemitism peaked during World War II with the Holocaust, and Jewish people continue to talk about it. However, only 25 percent of Christian respondents say they overdo it.

Another factor in Christian support for Israel is that many Christians are increasingly interested in Christianity’s roots in Judaism. Some 25 percent say their church celebrates Passover, while 16 percent say their church celebrates the Sabbath. Few Christian churches celebrate other Jewish holidays.

There also is “unquestionably” greater support for Israel and the Jewish people among American Christians who are very active in their faith.

Eighty-one percent of those surveyed say the Bible is the Word of God, with 43 percent interpreting the Bible literally and 38 percent saying they don’t believe in a literal interpretation. Not surprisingly, more evangelicals lean toward biblical literalism than mainline Protestants and Catholics.

The survey also looked at church attendance. Fifty-six percent of Americans who identify as Christian seldom or never attend church, as compared to 28 percent who attend weekly. Evangelicals attend church more than other Christians, with 35 percent saying they attend services every week.

Growing Antisemitism

Antisemitism is a growing problem, according to many Christians surveyed. And they want to support Jewish people in the face of that hatred. Some 87 percent of all respondents are concerned about antisemitism. Only 12 percent say they are “not particularly worried” about it.

Forty-two percent of survey participants strongly disagree that “all Jews” are responsible for Israel’s actions in the West Bank and Gaza. And 23 percent expressed significant disagreement.

Christians, for the most part, are highly critical of pro-Hamas rallies that have taken place on major university campuses in the U.S. Forty-three percent of respondents said those universities either “tolerate antisemitism to some extent” or “tolerate antisemitism quite a lot.” Only 13 percent felt otherwise.

Of those who think major universities tolerate antisemitism, 74 percent of survey participants say the universities actively promote it.

Suffering & Blame

The study said that Christians surveyed are concerned about Israelis’ suffering because of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the continuous rocket fire into noncombatant areas. But Christians also are concerned that Palestinians are suffering because of Hamas.

The report says that 49 percent of respondents mostly blame Hamas for the war, 39 percent blame both sides equally and only 8 percent blame “mostly Israel.”

Some 45 percent believe Israel is “mostly justified” for its actions against Hamas, while 36 percent say they are “partially justified.” Only 11 percent think Hamas is “mostly justified” for its attacks on the Jewish state.

Forty-one percent of those surveyed said they doubt that Israel committed genocide in Gaza, while 25 percent say it’s “probably true” and 34 percent do not know. More than half, or 51 percent, said they doubt that Israel targets Palestinian civilians.

Support for the State of Israel

“The concerns of Christians about the State of Israel as a political entity is (sic) slightly different than concerns about antisemitism,” the study says. “This debate is more controversial, and Christians are somewhat divided on the subject of modern Israel.”

Even so, most respondents support Israel over Palestinians, with 40 percent expressing their support for the Jewish state and only 8 percent supporting the latter.

Evangelicals are Israel’s strongest supporters, with 47 percent saying they “very strongly” support Israel and 23 percent saying they “support” Israel. In comparison, 42 percent of mainline Protestants and 32 percent of Catholics are strongly supportive.

More about the Survey

Major funding for the “Christian Attitudes toward the War in Gaza in 2024” research was provided by Chosen People Ministries, the Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem, and Christians and Jews who are concerned about growing antisemitism and want to gain a better understanding of the conflict.

Chosen People is an evangelical, nonprofit group that promotes evangelization of Jews. The Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem is dedicated to promoting a better understanding of the Middle East, including its history and roots in the Bible. The organization says it affirms God’s concern for all Middle Eastern people.