Quarter of US Jewish voters say Israel is an 'apartheid state': survey

A quarter of US Jewish voters believe Israel is an apartheid state, according to a new survey by an electoral advocacy group.

The survey of 800 Jewish voters in the US was conducted by the Jewish Electorate Institute, which describes itself as a "non-partisan" organisation. 

Almost a quarter of surveyed voters believed Israel was "committing genocide".

However, more than half of those surveyed disagreed with the statement that Israel is an apartheid state, while 67 percent said that saying Israel does not have a right to exist is anti-Semitic.

Asked what two issues they most wanted President Joe Biden to focus on, only four percent said Israel, while three percent said Iran. Climate change and voting rights topped the list.

However, a sizeable majority, 70 percent, said it was important for Washington to give Israel financial aid.

The US is a fierce ally of Israel, with groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbying in Washington for pro-Israel policies.

However, some Jewish Americans are staunch supporters of the Palestinian cause, taking to the streets to protest flare-ups of Israeli violence and seizure of Palestinian land.