Berk Kutay Gokmen
30 July 2026•Update: 30 July 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday admitted there was a decrease in popularity of Israel and his administration among the American public, blaming the change on social media.
Public opinion toward Israel in the US has grown increasingly negative, according to several recent polls, reflecting mounting concern over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
One July survey by the Pew Research Center found that Americans have become more critical of both the Israeli people and government in recent years.
The poll said that in 2026, 42% of Americans viewed the Israeli people unfavorably, up from 28% in 2019. Favorable views of the Israeli government fell to 32% from 41% over the same period.
In an interview with ABC News released on Wednesday, Netanyahu said “there's been a change because of the proliferation of social media, and the fact that sovereign countries have manipulated with bot farms and other things.”
"We can see a direct relationship between the proliferation of social media and the decline in support for Israel," he said.
"Does it concern me? Yes, yes, it does. And I want bipartisan support for Israel because I think that's a fundament of our national security," he added.
The International Criminal Court in November 2024 issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza, where more than 73,000 people have been killed in a brutal offensive since October 2023. Israel has continued to attack the enclave despite a truce in October 2025.
