Israel Image Crisis: Economy vs. Global Perception

Israel ranked last in the 2025 Nation Brands Index for the second year in a row, marking the sharpest decline in the index’s nearly 20-year history. The country placed 49th out of 50, with a 6% decrease in its overall score, according to a survey of 40,000 respondents across 20 countries.

Israel’s Declining International Standing

Saudi Arabia, conversely, recorded the largest improvement in the rankings, increasing its score by more than 4% and continuing an upward trend. The Palestinian Authority also saw a slight improvement of 1.1% in its score, but remains ranked below Israel.

Israeli citizens are now perceived as “undesirable” in global public sentiment, receiving the lowest ranking among all countries surveyed. Among Generation Z respondents, Israel is increasingly viewed as a colonialist and illegitimate state, described as toxic and disconnected from liberal values. The survey indicates a blurring of lines between Israeli government policy and the views of its citizens in global perception.

In response, an initiative is underway to create a global platform utilizing artificial intelligence and data to build supportive international communities and restore what it calls sovereignty over Israel’s national brand.

The “Made in Israel” brand has suffered a direct impact, contributing to evidence of a de facto boycott of Israeli goods and services. This has potential economic implications, including reduced global confidence, damage to foreign investment and tourism, pressure on Israel’s credit rating, and erosion of its legitimacy in the international system.

Despite strong objective indicators – such as high GDP per capita, life expectancy, and educational attainment – which would typically place a country among the global top ten, Israel is positioned alongside countries considered to be on the periphery of the world’s geopolitical and economic landscape. This discrepancy could undermine Israel’s achievements in technology and economic development over time.

Saudi Arabia’s rise to 42nd in the rankings is particularly noteworthy, gaining legitimacy year after year. The United States, Israel’s primary ally, continues to weaken in global brand perception, a trend that began during the Trump administration.

The Nation Brands Index, now in its 20th year, ranks 50 countries based on economic influence, geopolitical relevance, continental representation, and importance to the global agenda. The index evaluates countries across six dimensions: governance and policy, culture, people and society, exports, immigration and investment, and tourism.

The study, published on Thursday, was conducted in August–September 2025, providing the most up-to-date assessment of Israel’s international standing two years after the outbreak of the war in Gaza. Respondents came from countries representing roughly 70% of the world’s population, including the United States, China, Russia, India, Brazil, France, the UK, Germany, Argentina, Sweden, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Israel was added as a full member of the NBI global index only a year ago. The Palestinian Authority was also included, despite not being formally defined as a country, to collect comprehensive and current data on its international perception and currently ranks just below Israel.