The survey, conducted across 36 countries between February and May 2026, found that majorities in most nations now hold unfavorable views of Israel, while confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also fallen significantly since last year.
Across all countries surveyed, a median of 67 percent of respondents expressed an unfavorable view of Israel, compared with 25 percent who viewed the country favorably.
While negative attitudes were strongest in Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Turkey, the survey found growing criticism in many Western countries that have traditionally been among Israel's closest diplomatic and political partners.
Public opinion worsened in 13 of the 24 countries where Pew was able to compare results with data from 2025.
Among the countries recording statistically significant increases in unfavorable views were Australia, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, Argentina and Nigeria.
The findings suggest that criticism of Israel is not only becoming more widespread but also more deeply entrenched in a number of countries where public opinion has historically been less hostile.
In several of those countries, the share of respondents expressing "very unfavorable" views of Israel rose by double digits over the past year.
The trend was particularly notable in countries that have historically been considered relatively supportive of Israel.
In Argentina, unfavorable views rose from 46 percent in 2025 to 55 percent in 2026, transforming what had been a minority view into a majority position. Similar increases were recorded across several Western democracies, including Australia, Italy, Poland and Britain.
In the United Kingdom, a longstanding ally, unfavourable views increased while confidence in Netanyahu also declined. Similar shifts were recorded in Canada, Australia, Germany, Poland, and the United States, countries that have traditionally maintained close relations with Israel.
In Italy, where attitudes were among the most negative in Europe, around half of respondents or more now describe their views of Israel as very unfavourable.
The findings come after more than two years of the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza and amid broader regional tensions, including a US-Israeli military campaign against Iran launched in February.
Pew said most interviews were conducted after that military operation began on 28 February.
In Europe, attitudes toward Israel were especially negative. Around half or more of respondents in Italy, the Netherlands and Spain said they held a "very unfavourable" view of the country.
Only Greece registered an improvement in views of Israel compared with last year, although even there only 30 percent of respondents expressed a favourable opinion.
The survey also found widespread skepticism toward Netanyahu.
Majorities in most countries said they had little or no confidence in the Israeli leader to do the right thing in world affairs.
Confidence in Netanyahu declined in 13 of the 24 countries where trend data was available.
South Korea recorded the largest shift, with 76 percent of respondents now expressing little or no confidence in Netanyahu, up from 64 percent in 2025.
In Italy, the share of respondents saying they had "no confidence at all" in Netanyahu rose from 45 percent last year to 62 percent this year.
Declining confidence was also recorded in Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and Canada.
Only Kenya and the Philippines were the two countries surveyed where more than half of respondents said they had confidence in Netanyahu.
The survey also highlighted generational and ideological divides.
In several Western countries, younger people held significantly more negative views of Israel than older generations.
In Australia, 87 percent of adults aged 18 to 34 expressed an unfavourable opinion of Israel, compared with 73 percent among those aged 50 and older. Similar age gaps were recorded in the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Hungary.
Political ideology also emerged as a major predictor of attitudes.
In the United States, 83 percent of liberals held unfavourable views of Israel, compared with 37 percent of conservatives. Similar ideological divides were found across Europe and other high-income democracies.
In Australia, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, roughly nine in ten respondents on the political left expressed unfavourable views of Israel.
The findings suggest that criticism of Israel is no longer confined primarily to regions that have traditionally been sympathetic to the Palestinian cause, but is increasingly evident in countries that have historically been among Israel's strongest supporters.
The survey was conducted from 8 February to 13 May among adults in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
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