Poll Finds Mamdani Viewed More Favorably Than Netanyahu

An AP-NORC survey of American Jewish adults shows mixed views of New York City's mayor and Israel's prime minister.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Judaism

Poll Finds Mamdani Viewed More Favorably Than Netanyahu

Live Poll

Do you think Israel's war in Gaza is justified?

An AP-NORC poll found 44% of Jewish adults regard Mayor Zohran Mamdani favorably, compared with 39% who view Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu favorably. The survey of 1,012 Jewish adults was conducted June 11-17 as part of a poll of 3,040 American adults.

Why it matters

The findings show how American Jewish opinion on Israeli leadership and on New York City's mayor diverges, at a time of sharp debate over Israel's war in Gaza. Netanyahu's unfavorable rating among Jewish adults stands at 59%, a figure that underscores the political stakes of the issue for New York City residents.

The AP-NORC poll of 1,012 Jewish adults, within a 3,040-person national sample, carries a margin of sampling error of ±2.8 percentage points. Only 42% of Jewish adults said Israel's ongoing war in Gaza is justified, and 49% of American adults said they did not know enough to say Israel had committed genocide there.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

Mayor of New York City whose favorability among Jewish adults was measured in the poll.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Prime minister of Israel, viewed unfavorably by 59% of Jewish adults polled.

AP-NORC

Joint polling project of The Associated Press and the NORC at the University of Chicago that conducted the survey.

The details

Mamdani was regarded favorably by 44% and unfavorably by 39% of Jewish adults surveyed. In July, Mamdani backpedaled, saying New York City did not have independent legal authority to enforce the International Criminal Court warrant for Netanyahu, who addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York City on September 24.

October 7, 2023: Hamas attacked Israel, an act 79% of Jewish adults said was not justified.
June 11-17: AP-NORC conducted interviews for the poll.
July: Mamdani backpedaled on enforcing the ICC warrant.
September 24: Netanyahu addressed the U.N. General Assembly in New York City.
Tuesday, November 5, 2026: AP-NORC poll results were released.

Religious Context

Views among American Jewish adults on Israel's leadership and war in Gaza have become a central point of division within the community. The poll's finding that 79% of Jewish adults consider Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack unjustified contrasts with the 42% who say Israel's Gaza war is justified.

Readers in the United States who follow Jewish community affairs can see how opinion on Israeli leadership and on local officials is shifting within the community. The poll's margin of sampling error of ±2.8 percentage points means the subgroup figures should be read as approximate.

The takeaway

Favorability toward individual leaders does not map neatly onto views of the wars they are involved in, so the poll's numbers are best read as separate measures. Readers should weigh the subgroup figures with the reported margin of sampling error in mind.