New survey results from the latest Harvard CAPS-Harris Poll further demonstrates the wide generational gap among Americans’ views surrounding the Israel-Hamas war. Young Americans were evenly divided as to whether they support Israel or Hamas in the conflict, compared to only 19% of Americans of all ages who back Hamas. Other study findings paint an alarming picture among the beliefs of 18 to 24 year olds:

Analysis of FCAS’ Command Center data demonstrates a similar pattern of generational differences and radicalization among younger Americans in conversations about antisemitism and the conflict. For example, the most commonly used phrase by Gen Z is “from the river to the sea” compared to the most commonly used phrase by Baby Boomers which is “Hamas terrorists.” Another analysis point is the trends in conversation between the two generational cohorts. The graph below shows the daily number of mentions made by accounts in the Baby Boomer cohort and the Gen Z cohort between October 7th and November 17th.

The graph shows that older users were more actively engaged in conversations about the conflict immediately after the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. Conversations on social media during this time supported Israel and the horrific nature of the attack. Conversations among younger users spiked around October 28, when the Israel Defense Force’s ground operation into the Gaza Strip began, which also correlated with a shift to more anti-Israel and antisemitic conversation.

Opponents of Israel are claiming that the IDF is lying about Hamas’ use of human shields to explain the high number of Palestinian civilian casualties. In response to Israel’s claim that Hamas is using “human shields”, Hamas supporters on social media claimed that these are lies and that in fact it’s Israel who is using “human shields” claiming that Israel is using Jews and Israelis as “human shields” against pro-Palestinian criticism of “western colonialistic” goals. This distortion of the term “human shield” is a tactic by Hamas supporters to minimize the impact of their atrocities.

These conversations began after the IDF discovered an entrance to a Hamas tunnel under a children’s room earlier this week. The shaft of the tunnel was installed beneath a baby crib. Critics of Hamas condemned the terrorist group’s use of human shields to protect its operatives on social media. Some cited other recent examples of this tactic, including a Hamas military base underneath a hospital, and how Hamas uses human shields to turn public opinion against Israel and the IDF because of the resulting casualties.

More than 400 synagogues across the United States received bomb threats and swatting incidents over the weekend, in what may have been a coordinated effort from overseas, according to the FBI. Synagogues in Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Alabama received the most threats. None of the threats were deemed credible, but they disrupted Shabbat services and made the Jewish community feel unsafe in their places of worship. The Secure Community Network recorded a 541% increase in antisemitic bomb threats this year to date compared to 2022.

 

Two Jewish congregants were sprayed with an unknown substance outside Kesher Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C. on Sunday. The assailant shouted “gas the Jews” and was later identified as 33-year-old Brent Woods of Ohio. Police arrested him Sunday, and they are currently investigating the incident as a hate crime.

 

Social media users expressed horror at the onslaught of hate targeted at U.S. synagogues over the weekend, and emphasized the sudden increase in antisemitic incidents since October 7.

 

Several conversations online show pro-Palestinian activists are attempting to hijack the Christmas season by distorting religious history and holiday themes to further their cause. In one conversation, pro-Palestinian advocates are claiming that the red and green colors of Christmas come from Palestine, and are expressing excitement that the two colors are omnipresent in December. The mainstream explanation for the Christmas colors is that red represents the blood of Jesus, and green represents an evergreen tree, which symbolizes life.

 

Pro-Palestinian activists are also arguing that Jesus was Palestinian, distorting his origin story to benefit their movement. Jewish users claim Palestinian supporters are using Jesus in an attempt to refute Jewish connection to the land, and assert that Jesus was born Jewish in Bethlehem of Judea.

Pro-Palestinian activists are calling on people to continue to protest during the Christmas holiday. Protestors have been disrupting families as they go Christmas shopping, with videos of protests surrounding a Santa Claus station in a mall in Ottawa, Canada circulating on social media.

 

There is increased conversation around disinformation and denialism related to the latest developments in the Israel-Hamas war. Some users struggle to distinguish fact from fiction online due to a lack of tools on social media platforms to combat misinformation. Pro-Israel accounts this week are also discussing how some pro-Palestinian accounts are promoting terrorism online. 

 

An ADL blog released Tuesday explored the ongoing October 7 denialism on social media. Some examples of denialism include denying the terrorist attacks against Israel happened, believing Israel executed the attacks instead of Hamas, that Hamas did not rape Israeli women, and that Hamas treated Israeli hostages with kindness and dignity. These forms of denialism aim to downplay the horrors of the attack and Israeli trauma that still lingers nearly three months later. 

 

 

 

 

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