A disturbing new report from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reveals a dark undercurrent in American public opinion: nearly one in four Americans believe attacks targeting Jews are “understandable.”

The findings, released Friday by the ADL’s Center for Antisemitism Research, come in the aftermath of three chilling incidents: the arson attack on Jewish Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home on Pesach, the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy workers in Washington, D.C. in May, and the firebombing of a hostage solidarity rally in Boulder, Colorado, just last month. All three attacks were carried out by suspects claiming to act in the name of Palestine.

“It’s unacceptable that one-quarter of Americans find this unspeakable violence understandable or justified,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “This is an alarming sign of how antisemitic narratives are creeping into the mainstream.”

While the majority of Americans—around 60%—acknowledge antisemitism as a serious national problem, and 75% support increased government action to combat it, the survey shows troubling cracks in public consensus. Roughly 24% of respondents said they found the recent attacks against Jews “understandable,” while a similar proportion said they believed the attacks were “staged” to elicit sympathy for Israel. Startlingly, about half of those who found the violence understandable also subscribed to the belief that it was a false flag operation.

More than one in seven respondents (15%) said the violence was “necessary,” and 13% described it as “justified.”

The attacks themselves were unmistakably motivated by pro-Palestinian ideology. Suspects in both the Boulder and D.C. incidents shouted “Free Palestine” as they carried out their assaults, while the man accused of firebombing Gov. Shapiro’s home told authorities he acted in response to “injustices to the people of Palestine.”

The survey also probed attitudes toward slogans frequently used at pro-Palestinian rallies. Phrases like “Globalize the Intifada” and “From the River to the Sea” were widely seen as dangerous — more than two-thirds of Americans said such slogans increase the risk of violence against Jews. Even among those who expressed favorable views of the protests, over half acknowledged the slogans could incite harm.

Perhaps most jarring was the degree to which classic antisemitic tropes continue to find traction. Around a third of Americans said they believe Jews have too much influence in politics and media, and that American Jews should be held accountable for the actions of the Israeli government.

“This isn’t just a fringe issue,” Greenblatt warned. “These beliefs aren’t coming from the shadows anymore — they’re seeping into everyday conversations, political spaces, and public discourse.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)