It's no secret that Israel’s reputation has taken a tumble after the Hamas attack on October 7 and the subsequent war fought in Gaza, headed by Iran and its proxies.

We’ve all seen the online conversation and the physical protests at college campuses and across the streets of European countries.

Whereas many of Israel’s supporters suggest that a loud minority creates this noise, sadly data is showing this changing sentiment toward Israel has further intensified: a poll by YouGov shows that in the last five months, American sympathy toward Israel has dropped: despite maintaining a plurality of support, the second highest number of respondents are now ‘unsure’.

The 4% drop in support represents 10 million Americans.

This news was also coupled with Israel’s dead-last ranking on the 2024 Nation Brands Index, thanks to perceptions among Gen Z as a country associated with the "forces of chaos" rather than as one contributing to global stability. This makes it less popular than North Korea, Russia, or other Middle Eastern countries.

I spoke with writer and strategic consultant Joanna Landau about these findings and what they mean for Israel in the future. She is the co-author of “Ethical Tribing: Connecting the Next Generation to Israel in the Digital Era,” and we discussed a variety of topics:

* The YouGov poll that shows a fall in American support for Israel

* How countries can improve their reputations

* Taking the reputation fight onto the online battlefield

* Joanna’s new initiative, Israel & Partners, to help improve the country’s reputation

You can find a link to her book, which I recommend (with no commission!), here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ethical-Tribing-Connecting-Generation-Digital/dp/1959840347

Enjoy!

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