A new study published in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism provides evidence that antisemitic attitudes, rather than anti-Israel sentiment alone, are linked to support for political violence in the United States. The findings suggest that while criticism of Israel can motivate legal activism, it is antisemitic prejudice that tends to predict a willingness to support illegal or violent political actions and general aggression.

The research was led by Sophia Moskalenko of Georgia State University, along with co-authors Tomislav Pavlović and Mia Bloom. The team aimed to address a gap in the literature by empirically distinguishing between attitudes toward Jews and attitudes toward Israel, especially in how they relate to political radicalization and violence.

Antisemitism—but not criticism of Israel—associated with support for political violence

Research in Studies in Conflict & Terrorism finds that while anti-Israel sentiment may motivate legal protest, it is antisemitism that tends to predict support for violent or illegal political actions, offering insight into distinct psychological pathways to radical behavior.

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