Celebrities Who Are Pro-Palestinian Win Over Christian College Students

Christian college students are supporting celebrities who make pro-Palestinian statements amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to a new poll conducted on behalf of Newsweek.

On October 7, Hamas militants attacked southern Israel, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths. Israel then launched airstrikes and a ground invasion of Gaza to target Hamas and recover more than 200 hostages. According to the Associated Press, more than 25,000 Palestinians have since been killed in the conflict, prompting protests and calls for a ceasefire.

Many celebrities have expressed either pro-Israeli or pro-Palestinian sentiments on social media, which have often been controversial, while others have been criticized for remaining silent. Celebrities such as Bella Hadid, Susan Sarandon and Melissa Barrera are among those who have spoken out in support of Palestinians.

According to a new poll conducted by College Pulse on behalf of Newsweek, Christian students attending two and four-year courses are more likely to support celebrities who express pro-Palestinian views, rather than pro-Israeli views.

College campuses across the United States have been home to debates over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups have led protests on campuses, at times sparking concerns about student safety.

The poll found that only 13 percent of Catholic and 15 percent of Christian college students said that a celebrity making a pro-Israeli statement would positively impact their view of them.

Fifty-two percent of Catholic and 53 percent of Christian students said it would not have an impact, while 35 percent of Catholic and 31 percent of Christian students it would negatively impact their view of those celebrities, according to the poll.

Meanwhile, 33 percent of Catholic students and 26 percent of Christian students said a celebrity making pro-Palestinian statements would positively impact their view of those celebrities, according to the poll.

Fifty-one percent of Catholic and 60 percent of Christian students said a celebrity being pro-Palestinian would have no effect on their opinion either way, while 15 percent of Catholic and 13 percent of Christians said learning a celebrity is pro-Palestinian would negatively affect their opinion, the poll found.

The poll was conducted among 853 undergraduate students currently enrolled in a four-year or two-year degree program on January 25. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

It also found that boycotts of pro-Israel companies are being fueled by female college students. Nearly 38 percent of female college students are boycotting McDonald's over its connections with Israel, while 43 percent are boycotting Starbucks, according to the survey.

Which Celebrities Have Supported Palestinians?

Several celebrities have voiced support for Palestinians, including Hadid and Sarandon.

Sarandon, for instance, attended a pro-Palestinian event in November, sharing a photograph of her attendance captioned: "You don't have to be Palestinian to care about what's happening in Gaza. I stand with Palestine. No one is free until everyone is free."

Hadid has also been vocal in her support. In October, she posted to Instagram that "there is an urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza that must be attended to."

"I believe deep in my heart that no child, no people anywhere, should be taken away from their family either temporarily or indefinitely. That goes for Israeli or Palestinian people alike," she wrote.

Newsweek reached out to Sarandon via Instagram and Hadid via IMG Models for comment.

Other celebrities, including actress Melissa Barrera, former adult film actress Mia Khalifa and Egyptian-born soccer star Mohamed Elneny have also shown support for Palestinians.