Negative perceptions of Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, have risen sharply across much of the world over the past year, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Centre.
The poll, conducted between February 8 and May 13 in 36 countries, found that majorities in 32 countries now hold unfavourable views of Israel.
The findings come amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, which began on February 28 and has had far-reaching global repercussions, including economic disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Across the 36 countries surveyed, a median of 67% of adults reported an unfavourable view of Israel, while only 25% expressed a favourable opinion.
The strongest negative sentiment was recorded in Türkiye, where 97% of respondents viewed Israel unfavourably. Other countries with particularly high levels of disapproval included Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In Japan, 83% of respondents held negative views of Israel.
Among English-speaking countries, majorities in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK also reported unfavourable views, with negative ratings reaching 60%, 65%, 79% and 69% respectively.
All ten European countries included in the survey registered predominantly negative perceptions of Israel. The highest levels were recorded in Sweden and Spain, where 78% of respondents expressed unfavourable opinions. Even in Hungary, which recorded the most positive attitudes toward Israel among European respondents, a majority of 54% still viewed the country unfavourably.
The survey suggests that Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and, more recently, its conflict with Iran have contributed to a continued deterioration in global public opinion. Several countries recorded notable year-on-year increases in negative views of Israel.
