67% Unfavorable: Israel's Global Rating Lags Behind Security in Vote

Israelis are heading to the polls on October 27 with a clear focus on domestic security, even as their country's international reputation takes a hit. Analysts indicate that the global image of the state is a secondary concern compared to the immediate threats at home.

The backdrop for this election includes a deteriorating relationship with the rest of the world. A Pew survey conducted between February and May of this year found that a median of 67% of adults across 36 countries view Israel unfavorably. This negative perception is accompanied by reports of friction between Israelis and locals abroad. In July, tourists in Montenegro were confronted by people accusing them of taking holidays from genocide. An Israeli woman reported being denied service at a Greek restaurant due to her nationality, and a mother said she and her daughter were beaten in Thailand after identifying themselves as Israeli. A couple in California were asked if they were "baby killers" while checking into a hotel.

Despite these incidents and rising criticism from world leaders about military operations in Gaza, experts say the average voter is not swaying their ballot based on foreign opinion. Yaakov Katz, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that criticism of the government's international explanations has not become a major electoral issue. He noted that many Israelis accept Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's argument that hostility is rooted in antisemitism and will persist regardless of policy. Katz warned that while some take comfort in President Donald Trump's endorsement, the average citizen may not fully grasp the long-term consequences of declining support, particularly in the United States.

Ofir Dayan, a senior fellow at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, said Israelis are troubled by the hostility abroad but feel other concerns are more pressing after more than three years of war. "Israeli voters are very much one-issue voters, and the issue in this election is security," she said. Peter Lerner, a former Israel Defense Forces international spokesman, agreed, stating that foreign standing ranks behind divisions over Netanyahu and the ideological split between the left and right.

Few of the roughly dozen parties expected to enter the Knesset have detailed public diplomacy proposals. The centrist party B'Yachad, led by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, has proposed a non-voting parliamentary observer to focus on Diaspora Jewish issues. The new right-wing party Amcha Yisrael, led by former IDF Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter, includes public diplomacy activists Yoseph Haddad and Fleur Hassan-Nahoum among its candidates. Haddad has expressed interest in becoming public diplomacy minister.

Eylon Levy, a journalist and former government spokesman, noted on JTA’s podcast that candidates generally view public diplomacy as a tool to advance national interests. He described the far-right Otzma Yehudit Party’s approach as emphasizing toughness, while criticizing left-wing expectations that moderate conduct would quickly restore normal relations. Levy suggested that a change of government would not transform international perceptions immediately, but a more moderate administration might receive a grace period from countries that profess support for Israel.