Survey: Over Half of US Students Exposed to BDS, Support Boycotting “Israel”

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

More than half of US students exposed to Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions [BDS] movement's calls to boycott the “Israeli” entity – support the group, a survey conducted on campuses by the “Israeli” entity’s so-called Foreign Minister, released on Wednesday showed.

The so-called “Israeli” Foreign Ministry conducted its survey among American students after BDS was found to have reached more than half of the student body on US campuses.

Support for a boycott of the entity was heard from students who have an interest in politics, and relatively high support was found among private school students and people aged 30 or older.

The findings alarmed “Israeli” officials and indicated that the BDS movement has considerable influence on campuses.

The survey also showed that 48% of the students in the United States support the entity and believe it is an asset.

The survey which was commissioned by the entity’s Foreign Ministry and conducted earlier this month, was part of an efforts to increase support for the entity in the United States, among different age groups.

50% of students reported they viewed the “Israeli” entity positively compared to 36% who said they did not have a positive view of the entity. The data indicated there is more support among American Republicans polled than among those who identify as Democrats or people who claim to have little interest in politics.

Older Americans are found to be more likely to see the “Israeli” entity in a positive light and men more so than women, according to the survey.

Among university students in general, support for the entity is lower than in the general, over 18 population.

The entity’s Foreign Ministry officials said the data is not all bad because students tend to be more extreme in their political views.

They said the students were more critical of the entity based on moral arguments and liberal views, rather than on its economic and technical successes.

The conductors of the survey assumed that paradoxically students believe that by boycotting the “Israeli” entity, it would be more likely to change policies on the “Israeli”-Palestinian conflict.

Those who said they supported the entity, also hoped for a different position towards Palestinians.