Global sentiment toward Israel turns increasingly negative: Survey
Pew survey found global median of 67% view Israel negatively, while most respondents lack confidence in Netanyahu
A majority of people across 36 countries hold unfavourable views of Israel and lack confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to a new survey released by the Pew Research Center yesterday (5 June).
The survey, conducted between 8 February and 13 May 2026, found that a global median of 67% of adults viewed Israel unfavourably, while 25% expressed favourable opinions, reports Anadolu Agency.
According to the findings, perceptions of Israel were particularly negative in Muslim-majority countries included in the survey, such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Türkiye, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
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The report also found that majorities in most surveyed countries had little or no confidence in Netanyahu to "do the right thing regarding world affairs".
Kenya and the Philippines were the only countries where more than half of respondents expressed confidence in the Israeli prime minister, the survey noted.
Pew Research Center said unfavourable views of Israel increased in 13 of the 24 countries where comparative trend data since 2025 were available.
