Majorities of people in most countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center hold unfavorable views of Israel, while confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains low across much of the world, according to a new international survey.
The survey, conducted in 36 countries between February and May, found a median of 67% of adults view Israel unfavorably, compared with 25% who hold favorable opinions. Negative views were especially common in Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh, while European nations also reported largely unfavorable attitudes toward Israel.
In the United States, 60% of respondents expressed an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53% a year earlier. Pew researchers found unfavorable opinions of Israel increased in 13 of the 24 countries where trend data was available, including the U.S., United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Australia.
The survey also found majorities in most countries lack confidence in Netanyahu’s handling of world affairs. In the U.S., 59% said they have little or no confidence in the Israeli leader. Confidence levels were even lower in several European and Middle Eastern locations, including Turkey, where 97% expressed little or no confidence in Netanyahu.
Researchers found significant differences by age and political ideology. In many countries, younger adults were more likely than older adults to hold negative views of Israel and Netanyahu. People identifying with the political left in countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, Spain and the Netherlands were also substantially more likely to express unfavorable views than those on the political right.
Pew surveyed adults in 36 countries from Feb. 8 through May 13. Most interviews took place after the United States and Israel launched a military campaign in Iran on Feb. 28.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].