Negative views of Israel surge globally since war on Iran: Survey

A new survey has found that hatred against Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu has risen sharply across much of the world, amid the fallout from its wars on Gaza and Iran.

According to the survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted between February 8 and May 13, unfavorable views of Israel were recorded in 32 of the 36 countries surveyed.

Only respondents in India, Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya maintained overall favorable opinions of Israel.

Pew reported that a median of 67 percent of adults across the surveyed countries held either a very unfavorable or somewhat unfavorable view of Israel, while only 25 percent expressed favorable views.

The highest levels of negative sentiment were recorded in Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and the occupied territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds. Turkey registered the most unfavorable rating at 97 percent, while 83 percent of respondents in Japan expressed negative views of Israel.

Majorities in several Western countries also viewed Israel unfavorably. The survey found negative views among 60 percent of respondents in the United States, 65 percent in Canada, 69 percent in the United Kingdom, and 79 percent in Australia.

Across Europe, all ten countries surveyed reported predominantly unfavorable opinions of Israel. Sweden and Spain recorded the highest levels at 78 percent each, while Hungary, despite having the most favorable views within Europe, still saw a majority of 54 percent expressing negative opinions.

Israel faces 'unsustainable' strategic crisis following 40-day war against Iran: Analyst

The Israeli regime is facing its worst strategic crisis following the 40-day war against Iran, with a convergence of unsustainable economic burdens, eroding international support, and a deepening military manpower crisis, according to an American analyst.

The findings come amid continuing international criticism of Israel’s military aggressions against Gaza and Iran.

Analysts cited by Pew suggested that the war with Iran may have contributed to a further deterioration in global perceptions of Israel, particularly due to its wider economic impact, including disruptions linked to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Several countries recorded significant year-on-year increases in unfavorable views. South Korea experienced the largest rise, with negative perceptions increasing by 10 percentage points.

Nigeria saw a nine-point increase, while Germany, Italy, Argentina, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States all recorded increases ranging from seven to nine percentage points.

The survey also highlighted growing political divisions over Israel in some countries. In the United States, 83 percent of liberals reported unfavorable views of Israel, compared with 37 percent of conservatives, representing the widest ideological gap among countries surveyed.

Confidence in the Israeli premier also remained low worldwide. According to Pew, only respondents in the Philippines and Kenya expressed overall confidence in Netanyahu to handle global affairs. In every other country surveyed, majorities reported having little or no confidence in the Israeli leader.

The poll further found that declining confidence in Netanyahu closely mirrored the rise in negative views toward Israel, with many countries registering notable increases in public skepticism toward his leadership over the past year.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 73,000 Palestinians and wounded over 173,011 others.

On February 28, the United States and Israel waged an unprovoked war against Iran, as they were widely condemned for the genocide in Gaza and acts of aggression in other parts of the region.

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