Global public opinion appears to be turning decisively against Israel, with a major new international survey revealing widespread unfavourable sentiment towards the apartheid Israeli state and rapidly declining confidence in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The findings, released by the Pew Research Center as part of its Spring 2026 Global Attitudes Survey, suggest that Israel is facing one of its most severe crises of international public legitimacy in recent decades amid the continuing war in Gaza.
Based on responses from 44,657 people across 36 countries between February and May 2026, the survey found a global median of 67% holding an unfavourable view of Israel, compared with only 25% with a favourable opinion.
Across most countries surveyed, majorities also expressed little or no confidence in Netanyahu’s leadership, reflecting deepening global anger over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the mounting humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the besieged enclave.
South Africa among Israel’s strongest critics
South Africa emerged as one of the countries showing the strongest public rejection of Israel in the survey, mirroring Pretoria’s increasingly confrontational diplomatic position towards Tel Aviv.
According to the data, 58% of South Africans hold an unfavourable view of Israel, while 56% say they have no confidence in Netanyahu.
The figures closely align with South Africa’s prominent role at the International Court of Justice, where Pretoria has accused Israel of violations linked to its military operations in Gaza.
South Africa’s legal challenge has placed the country at the centre of global efforts seeking accountability over the war, elevating its standing among many nations and civil society groups critical of Israeli actions.
The survey suggests that public sentiment inside South Africa broadly reflects the government’s foreign policy posture, which has consistently framed the Gaza war through the lens of international law, occupation and human rights.
Africa reflects caution and scepticism
Elsewhere on the continent, attitudes towards Israel vary in intensity but still reveal a broader pattern of scepticism, particularly towards Netanyahu’s leadership.
In Kenya, 47% of respondents expressed unfavourable views of Israel, indicating a closely divided public mood.
In Nigeria, 41% held negative views, while Ghana recorded the least critical position among the African countries surveyed, with 36% expressing unfavourable sentiment.
Despite the differences, all African countries included in the survey registered measurable negative opinions towards Israel alongside generally weak or divided confidence in Netanyahu.
The findings point to a continent increasingly shaped by global debates around Gaza, civilian casualties and questions of international justice.
Muslim-majority nations show overwhelming rejection
The strongest opposition to Israel was recorded across Muslim-majority countries, where the survey revealed near-total rejection in several states.
Turkey registered the highest negative rating, with 97% of respondents expressing an unfavourable view of Israel, including 91% who described their opinion as “very unfavourable”.
Similarly strong sentiment was recorded in Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Malaysia, where large majorities expressed deeply negative views towards Israel.
Confidence in Netanyahu across these countries was extremely low, often falling into single-digit percentages, reflecting entrenched anger over the war in Gaza and longstanding solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The data underscores how the Gaza conflict continues to resonate across the Muslim world not merely as a regional political issue, but as a broader civilisational and humanitarian concern.
Europe and Latin America shift sharply
Negative sentiment towards Israel was not confined to Africa or Muslim-majority nations.
Across Europe, countries such as Spain, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands reported large majorities holding unfavourable views of Israel, many of them strongly so.
In Latin America, including Chile, Mexico and Argentina, the survey similarly recorded widespread negative opinion.
Overall, the Pew findings show Israel receiving majority unfavourable ratings across most countries surveyed, suggesting a broad international erosion of public sympathy.
Netanyahu’s global standing weakens
The survey also highlights a continuing decline in confidence in Netanyahu personally.
In 13 of the 24 countries where comparative data was available, confidence in the Israeli prime minister fell further compared with 2025 levels.
In several European countries, including Italy and Sweden, more than 80% of respondents said they had no confidence in Netanyahu. In the United States, Israel’s closest ally, 59% expressed no confidence in his leadership.
The findings point to growing global disillusionment not only with Israel’s conduct in Gaza, but also with the political direction represented by Netanyahu’s government.
Gaza genocide central to global backlash
The survey comes amid continuing international outrage over the devastation in Gaza, where months of bombardment, displacement, hunger and infrastructure destruction have dominated global headlines.
Repeated accusations from humanitarian organisations, legal experts and international bodies have intensified scrutiny of Israel’s actions and contributed to shifting global attitudes.
The Pew data suggest the Gaza war has become the defining factor shaping contemporary international perceptions of Israel and its leadership.
While Israel continues to maintain strong diplomatic and military alliances with major global powers, the survey reveals a widening gap between official state relations and public opinion across much of the world.
From Africa to Europe and across the Muslim world, the findings indicate that opposition to Israel’s conduct and distrust in Netanyahu’s leadership are becoming increasingly entrenched within global public consciousness.