Following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas, President Joe Biden assured that the United States would always support Israel.

But after months of Israeli assault on Gaza, the US has stepped up its tone and pleaded to spare civilians.

At the same time, there are protests against the war.

Protests that led to a debate about anti-Semitism and free speech at universities in the United States.

Two who have participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations are Corinne Shanahan and Israa Alzamli, both studying law at Harvard.

- We do our best to draw attention to the atrocities that are happening in Gaza.

It has come to a point where no one can turn a blind eye, says Izraa Alzamli to the Foreign Office.

She is a refugee from Gaza and has family members who died in the war.

In a video that has been widely circulated, she confronts Democratic Senator Elisabeth Warren with the question of why she did not call for a ceasefire.

- I felt that it was an opportunity I could not miss.

But the demonstrations have divided the student union.

There are reports of harassment against both Jewish students and pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

- People are really afraid to speak up because of how much harassment is happening, says Israa Azlami.

Young people disapprove of Biden's handling of the war

Opinion in the US is divided.

About a third of Americans, 35 percent, like the Biden administration's response to the Israel-Hamas war, while 41 percent disapprove and 24 percent are unsure.

This shows a survey from the Pew Research Center, from December 7 last year.

Adults under 30 are more critical.

In the 18-29 age group, only 19 percent like the response to the war.

As many as 46 percent disapprove of how the government has handled the war, but many are also unsure.

Israa Alzamli believes that student activism is the first step to a political shift.

- The fact that we see that students all over the country are protesting for the cause of Palestine shows that there is a bigger change going on.

See the Foreign Office: Is Israel's protector faltering?

on SVT Play.