US College Students Increasingly Link “Israel” With Genocide

By Staff, Agencies

Young Americans at universities in New York are increasingly associating the word “Israel” with “genocide,” reflecting what appears to be a significant shift in perceptions of the country among some US college students.

Interviews with students at New York University and Columbia University found that the war in Gaza and reports of violence and human rights violations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank have strongly influenced how some students view “Israel.”

At NYU, one student, Samuel, said his first association with “Israel” was what he described as the genocide of Palestinians under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He identified his three main associations as “Netanyahu, genocide and Palestine.”

Another NYU student, Maddy, also immediately associated “Israel” with “genocide.” She described the association as frightening and said she viewed “Israel” as a country using its military power against people she considered significantly less powerful.

A group of students who were collecting aid for a university organization declined to participate in an interview after learning that the subject was “Israel.”

At Columbia University, a student identified as Rom responded to a question about the word “Israel” by saying, “Let’s save the world,” before adding, “Let’s maintain peace.”

The reported shift in public perception echoes comments from former “Israeli” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who recently acknowledged concerns about "Israel's" image among Americans.

Bennett said that, for the first time since the establishment of the “Israeli” entity, “Israel” had become a negative brand among the American public. He specifically pointed to the way young Americans associate the country with the conflict in Gaza.

Using examples of how countries are often connected with cultural symbols, Bennett contrasted associations such as Italy with pasta and said that “Israel” is increasingly associated by some Americans with violence against Palestinians.

According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 73,300 Palestinians have been martyred and over 174,200 injured since the war began in October 2023.

"Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former War Minister Yoav Gallant are also subject to arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Meanwhile, South Africa brought a case against “Israel” before the International Court of Justice in December 2023, accusing the entity of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention. The case remains part of an ongoing international legal dispute over the war and the conduct of “Israeli” forces.