Yale freshmen: China yay, Israel nay!

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 17, 2026

A survey of incoming Yale freshmen shows 63% hold a critical view of Israel, nearly double the 35% who are critical of China, with a notably higher share expressing strong criticism of Israel. This reflects growing campus tensions linked to recent Middle East conflicts and ongoing student activism, including protests and calls for university divestment from companies associated with Israel.

A recent survey of incoming Yale University freshmen reveals a markedly more critical attitude toward Israel compared to China. According to the poll, conducted by the Yale Daily News and published Wednesday, 63% of new students expressed a critical view of Israel, nearly twice the 35% who said the same about China. Additionally, 40% of respondents described their opinion of Israel as “very critical,” four times the share holding a “very critical” view of China, which stood at 10%. Support for China was also higher, with 14% of freshmen expressing some level of support, compared to only 8% for Israel.

The survey comes amid ongoing tensions on campus related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Yale’s campus in Connecticut was among many across the United States where anti-Israel protests erupted following the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas militants and the subsequent Israeli military operation. Student activism at Yale has included rallies, walkouts, and demonstrations organized by the Yale Chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.

Earlier this year, in April 2024, anti-Israel activists held a hunger strike on Beinecke Plaza to urge the Yale Corporation to divest from companies manufacturing weapons reportedly supplied to Israel. The protests and activism have drawn national attention, including remarks from billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who compared the university’s environment to Hamas in a controversial statement.

The report also touched on students’ views of American political figures, finding that over 80% of incoming freshmen held a “very critical” opinion of former President Donald Trump. Sixty-seven percent expressed similarly strong criticism of Vice President J.D. Vance, a Yale Law School alumnus who attended from 2010 to 2013.

Yale University representatives did not respond immediately to requests for comment on the survey findings. The incoming class surveyed includes a small percentage of Chinese students, around 0.8%, highlighting the disparity between student attitudes toward China compared to Israel. The data suggests a significant polarization in perspectives among the new student body on international and domestic political issues.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.