- December 27, 2025
- 10:29 pm
- Israel
A new international report records growing dissatisfaction with Israel — and this concerns not only criticism of the government but also the perception of Israeli citizens abroad. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza, the country’s reputational losses are becoming systemic.
According to data from the research company BrandIL, Israel ranked last in the Nation Brands Index (NBI) for the second consecutive year. This is the worst result for the country in almost twenty years of observations.
The NBI index evaluates the global image of countries across six key areas: tourism, people, culture, emigration and investment attractiveness, export, and quality of governance. In the latest ranking, the leaders were Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Israel was ranked below India, Kenya, Russia, Ukraine, and Namibia. Even the Palestinian Authority, not recognized as a state in the full international legal sense, received a higher rating.
The survey was conducted in August–September 2025.
As a result, Israel’s overall score decreased by 6.1 percent compared to the previous year. The decline was particularly sharp in the categories of export and goods — an indicator reflecting consumers’ reluctance to associate themselves with products and services related to Israel.
The authors of the report emphasize: between 2024 and 2025, a qualitative shift occurred.
Previously, negativity was mainly directed at the political leadership, but now it increasingly affects ordinary Israeli citizens. This effect is directly linked to the war in Gaza and its humanitarian consequences.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth writes that Israelis abroad are increasingly perceived as persona non grata. This is reflected in everyday contacts, business connections, and academic exchanges.
According to international organizations, since October 2023, more than 72,000 Palestinians have died in Gaza and the West Bank. This figure has become one of the key factors shaping the global discourse around Israel.
Special attention in the reports is given to Generation Z.
Israeli and foreign media note that among young respondents, Israel is increasingly being assessed as an “illegitimate” or “colonial” state. Simultaneously, the pressure of boycotts on goods labeled “made in Israel” is intensifying.
Although the NBI index does not directly measure consumer behavior, BrandIL warns of long-term risks: a decline in global trust, a drop in foreign investments, problems for tourism, and a weakening of the country’s international positions.
The trend is confirmed by other studies.
According to a survey by YouGov, in 2025, the positive attitude towards Israel in Europe reached a historic low. Less than 20 percent of respondents in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Denmark, Spain, and Italy reported a positive perception of the country.
In the United States, the trend is also negative.
A survey by the Pew Research Center, published in April, showed that 53 percent of Americans have a negative attitude towards Israel. For comparison, in March 2022, this figure was 42 percent — even before the Hamas attack in the summer of 2023. Among Democrats, 69 percent express a negative opinion, among Republicans — 37 percent, but even in this group, the share of critics has increased by 10 points over three years.
Other Pew studies record a deterioration in attitudes not only towards Israel as a state but also personally towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In most of the 24 countries studied, negative assessments prevail.
It is important to note the geography of the shift.
While criticism of Israel has traditionally been high in the Arab and Muslim world, now the increase in dissatisfaction is being recorded in Europe and East Asia. The decline in positive perception is particularly noticeable in Western Europe — primarily among young people.
Some Israeli commentators question the neutrality of global indices, pointing to the influence of large Arab capitals and an organized anti-Israel campaign. However, even within Israel, it is recognized that such data cannot be ignored, as they affect the economy, diplomacy, and the daily lives of citizens. This is why such reports are carefully analyzed by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, recording not only the numbers but also the consequences of the changing global attitude.
