Israel’s Standing Slips Worldwide Amid Renewed Hostilities
International support for Israel and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is looking shakier than ever. Fresh numbers out from the Pew Research Center show that majorities in 24 different countries now see Israel—and Netanyahu—in a pretty negative light. This comes at a time when violence between Israel and Hamas broke out once again after a short-lived ceasefire, putting the country under an even bigger worldwide spotlight.
So, what’s really going on here? The Pew survey, which ran from January to April 2025, comes packed with eye-opening stats. Across continents—North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America—the consensus is clear: people are dissatisfied with how Israel and Netanyahu are handling things. Even inside Israel, the picture isn’t exactly rosy. Pew found that 58% of Israelis themselves believe their country isn’t respected internationally. Only 39% think it has global respect. That doubt comes straight from the heart of the country as deadly clashes resume in Gaza, and the world tunes in to watch.
The research team got their data using a mix of phone interviews in wealthier countries and good old face-to-face conversations in others, making sure they got perspectives from all corners. Most of that fieldwork happened after Israel and Hamas kicked off another round of fighting—which probably sharpened people’s opinions.
Netanyahu Faces Intense Scrutiny at Home—and Abroad
Netanyahu, who’s already Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, finds himself in hotter water than ever. Criticism is flying at him from all sides, both for his handling of this roller-coaster conflict with Hamas and for his decisions on domestic issues. The numbers back it up: global trust and credibility in his leadership have taken a real beating as the crisis wears on.
Behind these cold statistics are some pretty heated debates. In the last few months, images from the conflict have dominated the international news cycle, driving conversations everywhere from Washington to Berlin to major cities in Latin America and Africa. The survey’s findings show that confidence in both the Israeli government and Netanyahu has eroded, not just among long-standing critics but also in countries that once counted Israel as an ally. Unfavorable opinions now outnumber the positive ones almost everywhere Pew checked.
This shift isn’t just about what’s happening on the battlefield. The survey hints that people are also reacting to Israel’s political moves, including Netanyahu’s controversial alliances and policy choices within his own country. Calls for change keep getting louder at home while overseas, people are asking if Israel’s reputation as a strategic partner is starting to fray under the pressure.
Taken together, the latest Pew data paints a stark picture: Israel and Netanyahu both face a serious image problem—one that’s probably not going away any time soon as violence and political tensions keep making headlines.