


Anti-Israel protests regarding the war in Gaza have erupted at college campuses across the country, but polling shows it is not a top issue for most people attending university.
A Generation Lab poll shared with Axios shows the war in Gaza ranks at the bottom among top issues for college students. The survey shows only 13% of college students domestically rank it as one of the most important issues.
The top issues for college students include healthcare reform (40%), education (38%), economic matters (37%), civil rights (36%), climate change (35%), gun laws (32%), immigration (21%), and national security (15%).
The fiery protests on several campuses, including at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles, have dominated headlines in recent weeks, but despite the uproar, the protesters demanding divestment from Israel over the war against Hamas appear to be a vocal minority.
The poll shows only 8% of those surveyed said they participated in the protests — on either side. A plurality supports the encampments, 45%, compared to 30% who said they were neutral and 24% who said they were strongly or a bit opposed, per the survey.
Some of the protests have escalated, with protesters at Columbia seizing a building on campus — leading to the New York Police Department having to regain control of the building a day later.
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The survey shows 81% of students agree that those who destroy property or illegally seize buildings should be held accountable, with 67% saying occupying buildings is not permissible and 58% saying students should obey orders from schools to disperse.
Blame for the war in Gaza is split for those surveyed, but a plurality blamed Hamas, 34%. The remaining blame either Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (19%), the Israeli people (12%), or President Joe Biden (12%).