Millions of French people have “sympathy for Hamas”: the shocking Ifop poll

The “X-ray of anti-Semitism in France in 2024” carried out by Ifop reveals the feeling of sympathy of millions of French people towards Hamas. A phenomenon that is all the more visible among those under 35.

Since October 7, 2023 and the Hamas attack against Israel, the number of anti-Semitic acts in France has increased by more than 1,000% compared to the period January-September 2023, according to the Jewish community protection service ( SPCJ) and the Ministry of the Interior. This Sunday, April 5, 2024, Ifop publishes the Radiography of anti-Semitism in France in 2024, a large survey evaluating the perception of anti-Semitism among the French, the prevalence of anti-Semitic ideas, the identification of groups with a high incidence of anti-Semitic ideas, or even the impact of the current context on French Jews.

Analysis of opinion surveys demonstrates a major generational divide in attitudes towards Israel. Indeed, “the Hebrew State is perceived more by young people as being a colonial power”. A trend which is not specific to France, it is observed in most major Western democracies. The Ifop survey shows in particular that 6% of French people express sympathy for Hamas. This represents more than 3 million adults. At the same time, this proportion rises to 14% among those under 35. 2% of those over 65 have sympathy towards Hamas.

Furthermore, according to the study, 25% of French Jews indicate that they have suffered an anti-Semitic act since October 7. For 12% of them, this happened more than once. A figure which rises to 36% for people who systematically or regularly wear distinctive religious symbols, and 37% for those under 25. The “anti-Semitic acts” mentioned in the Ifop study can include a wide range of incidents: from derogatory comments on social networks to outright physical aggression. “They are based on self-declaration and therefore sometimes have a subjective dimension” specifies the study.

Finally, the study highlights an increase in anti-Semitic content from October 7 on social networks. “We are observing a peak in very anti-Zionist remarks, often characterized by an outrageous tone. Many contents thus refer to Nazism or the Shoah,” specifies the polling institute. Jewish French people could also find themselves overexposed, influenced by the platforms' algorithms. Social networks tend to amplify certain echoes rather than providing an accurate reflection of reality. In fact, a minority of the population really supports a radical anti-Zionist position, as the Ifop study demonstrates.