Israel ranks lowest in global image rankings, biggest year-over-year drop

Israel’s overall score dropped by 6.1% compared with the previous year, the largest single decline ever measured by the index.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israel has fallen to the bottom of the 2025 Nation Brands Index for the second straight year, posting the most dramatic year-on-year decline recorded since the survey was launched nearly 20 years ago, according to figures published Thursday by BrandIL.

The annual index is designed to measure how countries are viewed by the global public, rather than evaluating military power, diplomacy, or economic output.

Compiled by Ipsos and created by policy adviser Simon Anholt, the survey draws on responses from tens of thousands of participants worldwide. Respondents are asked to rate countries across six dimensions, including governance, culture, tourism, exports, and perceptions of a country’s people.

Israel’s overall score dropped by 6.1% compared with the previous year, the largest single decline ever measured by the index. Researchers said the sharpest deterioration was not confined to views of Israeli policy or leadership, but extended to attitudes toward Israelis themselves. In the category assessing perceptions of a country’s people, Israel ranked last, reflecting what analysts described as a collapse in international trust and attitudes towards Israeli society.

The data points to a pronounced generational divide. Among Generation Z respondents in Western countries, negative perceptions were markedly stronger than among older age groups.

Researchers found that younger respondents increasingly frame Israel through ideological lenses, often questioning the country’s legitimacy and making little distinction between government actions and the civilian population.

Israel’s standing also deteriorated sharply in the exports and products category, where it again placed last.

Analysts said this suggests a growing resistance to engagement with Israeli-associated goods, brands, and institutions, even in areas traditionally viewed as separate from political disputes.

BrandIL analysts warned that sustained damage to Israel’s international image could eventually have practical consequences.

While the index measures perception rather than policy outcomes, prolonged reputational decline could translate into reduced economic cooperation, cultural exclusion, and mounting pressure within academic and professional arenas.

Researchers involved in the index stressed that the findings reflect a broad and deep shift in global attitudes rather than a short-term reaction, indicating a long-term challenge for Israel’s international standing.