The massive, almost universal, support nations have provided Israel since the Hamas attacks is eroding around the world and new research indicates that most people surveyed over 24 countries now have negative views of Israel and Netanyahu.

_The Pew Research Center_ found that in 20 of the 24 countries surveyed about half of adults or more have an unfavourable view of Israel.

Three quarters of respondents in Australia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Turkey have an unfavourable view. Sixty percent of respondents in Canada, Italy, Germany, France, Poland and the UK have negative views of Israel. The standout attitudes among countries were Kenya (42% very or somewhat favourable), Nigeria (32%), and Argentina (42%).

Even where there are favourable views, there have been some significant shifts over the past few years. For instance, the share of US adults with a negative view of Israel increased by 11% from March 2022 to March 2025. In the UK, for example, 44% had an unfavourable view of Israel in 2013, compared with 61% now.

Pew also found that in 10 other countries, since this question was asked in 2013, the share of adults with a negative view of Israel has increased.

In some countries, younger people are more likely to have an unfavourable view of Israel particularly high-income countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Poland, South Korea and, significantly, the US.

Ideology plays a big part in attitudes. People who place themselves on the left have a more negative view than those on the right. In Australia, for instance, those on the left have an unfavourable opinion (90%) versus 46% on the right. Indicative of the overall levels of political division in the US, 74% of liberals are about twice as likely as those on the right to have an unfavourable view.

While there are significant variations within many countries on attitudes to Israel, there is less division on the question of whether respondents have confidence in Netanyahu or not. Only India, Kenya and Nigeria have fewer than half of respondents expressing lack of confidence in Netanyahu. Even in the US 52% say they have no confidence or not too much confidence in him. In Australia, these two groups make up 72%.

Other countries with similar attitudes to Australia are Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Greece, Poland, UK, Japan, Turkey (94%), Mexico, Brazil and Argentina.

There are significant differences in attitudes according to age. In Hungary for instance, adults aged 50 or older are twice as likely as those aged 18 to 34 to have confidence in Netanyahu (40% to 20%).

Looking at attitudes among the religious population in the US, white evangelical Protestants have confidence (58%) in Netanyahu, compared with 53% among American Jews having a lot or some confidence in him. A significant proportion of these Protestants are probably among those waiting for the second coming.

Perhaps the most amazing result (or not, depending on your knowledge of the US) was when Americans were asked their levels of confidence in Netanyahu, 15% said they had never heard of him. Fourteen percent of Republicans said the same. In the 50-plus category, 7% had never heard of him. The never-heard-of-him category was identical for Republicans and Democrats.

Perhaps the least surprising result was that 87% of Muslim Americans lack confidence in Netanyahu.

A slight majority of US adults think a two-state solution is possible, with Republicans and those aged 50-plus having large majorities believing it is not possible. Democrats and those aged 18-49 and 50 plus think a two-state solution is possible.

There are probably many reasons for the changes in attitudes to the war from the almost universal support of Israel immediately after the attacks to today. But if you wanted a one word reason for the change it’s obviously Netanyahu.

Indeed, if that long overdue Israeli election ever gets called there’s also a one-word reason for the outcome – Netanyahu.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations.