WASHINGTON: Public opinion within parts of the American-Jewish community on the US-led war against Iran has shown a noticeable shift, with support easing and opposition rising over time, according to a recent survey.

While different polls focus on different segments of the community, both point to growing reservations about the campaign as it has progressed.

The Jewish People Policy Institute’s “Voice of the Jewish People Index” survey, which tracks attitudes among a more connected segment of American Jews engaged with organised communal life, records a steady decline in support over the course of the conflict.

Backing fell from 68 per cent in the war’s first week to 62pc in the third week, and further to 60pc in the week following the ceasefire, while opposition rose from 26pc to 34pc over the same period, the survey shows.

A separate nationwide survey conducted by GBAO Strategies for the advocacy group J Street, which reflects a broader sample of American Jewish voters, suggests that scepticism is even more widespread, finding that about 60 per cent opposed the war in March.

A breakdown of respondents in the “Voice of the Jewish People Index” survey by ideological orientation points to strong political polarisation in perceptions of the campaign.

Among self-identified “strong liberals,” opposition to the move was overwhelming, with 71pc against it. The “leaning liberal” group appeared the most divided and uncertain, with opinion almost evenly split between support and opposition (42pc and 44pc respectively), while a relatively high 15pc remained undecided or expressed no clear view.

In contrast, there is near-total support for the decision among conservative respondents, with approval reaching 96pc among “strong conservatives” and 94pc among “leaning conservatives.”

Centrist respondents also showed substantial backing, with 83pc expressing support for the war.

In the first week after the ceasefire came into effect, broad support for the war remained high among Jewish respondents in Canada (81pc) and the United Kingdom (75pc), while opposition stayed relatively limited, ranging between roughly one-sixth and one-quarter.

Alongside the gradual decline in support for the Iran war, there was also a noticeable shift in how respondents perceived the mood within their own social circles.

At the outset of the war, a majority (53pc) believed that most of their Jewish acquaintances supported the campaign. This perception fell to 43pc within a month. Over the same period, the share reporting that opposition was present within their social environment increased from 20pc to 28pc.

A breakdown by ideological orientation highlights sharp differences in how respondents perceive their social environments. At the liberal end of the spectrum, a majority (56pc) report that opposition to the war is more common within their social circles, compared with 21pc who say they observe support.

This pattern reverses moving rightward: among centrists and conservative respondents, perceived support within social environments rises to between 59pc and 63pc, while reported opposition falls to 14pc or lower.

Notably, a relatively high share of respondents selected “don’t know,” suggesting possible reluctance or avoidance in discussing the issue within social settings.

In parallel, assessments among US respondents show a clear decline in perceived success of the war compared with the previous month. The share describing the campaign as a “major success” fell from 24pc to 14pc, while those viewing it as a “failure” doubled from 14pc to 25pc.

Overall, the proportion who regarded the war as successful (combining “major” and “somewhat successful”) declined from 66pc in March to 56pc in April, while negative assessments rose from 26pc to 40pc.