Security Tops Global Image as Israel Heads to Oct. 27 Ballot

Israeli voters are set to prioritize security over the country's deteriorating global image ahead of the Oct. 27 election.

A Pew poll conducted between February and May 2026 found that a median of 67% of adults across 36 countries hold an unfavorable view of Israel. This statistic coincides with a series of high-profile incidents where tourists were harassed in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

In July, a group of Israeli visitors in Montenegro was confronted by locals who asked, “Taking a break from genocide?” Similar reports emerged from Greece, where a restaurant allegedly refused service to an Israeli woman, and Thailand, where a mother and daughter were beaten. In the United States, an Israeli couple checking into a California hotel were asked if they were “baby killers.”

Yaakov Katz, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, noted that while there are complaints about the government's ability to explain its policies, most Israelis view the international climate as beyond their control. Katz argued that many voters accept the premise that the world is often against Israel regardless of its actions, a stance he described as partially true.

Katz added that the average Israeli does not fully grasp how declining support, particularly in the United States, could have existential consequences for the country. Instead, many take comfort in President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ofir Dayan, a senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, stated that while Israelis are aware of foreign hostility, it is not their primary voting criterion. She described Israeli voters as “one-issue voters” for whom the central concern is security. Dayan said the country is not yet remote enough from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack for voters to shift their priorities based on diplomatic standing alone.

Peter Lerner, a former Israel Defense Forces spokesman, identified two secondary issues that rank below security: the question of whether Netanyahu leads the government and the ideological battle between the left and the right. Lerner observed that when public diplomacy is discussed, it is treated as secondary to everything else.

Of the dozen or so parties expected to win seats in the Knesset, only a few have outlined plans to improve Israel's public image. The B’Yachad Party, led by former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, proposes elevating the role of Diaspora Jewry by allowing a non-voting observer in the Knesset to focus on these ties. Amcha Yisrael, a right-wing party led by former IDF Brig. Gen. Ofer Winter, includes public diplomacy activists Yoseph Haddad and Fleur Hassan-Nahoum on its list.

Journalist Eylon Levy, a former government spokesman, said that most candidates view public diplomacy, or hasbara, as a tool rather than a goal. He noted a spectrum of approaches, ranging from the Otzma Yehudit Party’s tough stance to the left’s belief that normal behavior would restore relations. Levy predicted that while a new government would not magically boost Israel’s standing, a more moderate administration would likely secure a grace period from less-friendly allies.