Sunday May 18, 2025
NEWSLETTER
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
Home News

Is the anti-Israel tide in Europe starting to turn?

by  Ariel Kahana
Published on  10-12-2018 00:00
Last modified: 10-12-2018 00:00
Is the anti-Israel tide in Europe starting to turn?

The EU "has come to realize ‎that Israel is an asset

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Surveys conducted by the Foreign Ministry in major ‎European countries show a clear rise in support for ‎Israel, Israel Hayom learned Thursday.‎

The polls found a rising trend of support for Israel in Germany, ‎Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom, which for many years were hubs of hostility toward Israel.‎

The surveys were conducted in 2017 and the Foreign ‎Ministry has spent recent months analyzing ‎them.

It said the positive trend that emerged from ‎the polls is consistent with the findings of other, more recent polls.

For the surveys, samples of ‎‎1,000 individuals in most European ‎countries were questioned in two stages, at the beginning of 2017 ‎and again at the end of the year. The ministry said the surveys were conducted by specialist polling institutes in each country and respondents were not told the polls were for the Israeli government.  ‎

The surveys avoided political issues such as the ‎Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the Iranian threat, asking: "Would ‎you define your attitude toward the State of Israel ‎as sympathetic or unsympathetic?"‎

In Germany, currently the strongest country in the ‎European Union, ‎sympathy for Israel rose by 2% through the year to reach 41%. ‎At the same time, antipathy to Israel fell from 35% ‎to 31%.‎

The U.K. showed a dramatic change through the year: While at the beginning of the year, 32% of Britons were ‎sympathetic to Israel and 39% ‎were unsympathetic, later in the year, support for Israel rose to 40%, while lack of support fell to 33%. ‎

In Spain, 40% supported ‎Israel compared to 32% who did not. In Portugal, 48% ‎ were sympathetic to Israel and 30% were not. ‎

In Romania, support for Israel grew from 49% to 56% through the year, ‎while the number those who were not sympathetic remained steady ‎at 17%.‎

Overall, the ‎European Union as a whole marked a 5% increase in ‎sympathy for Israel and a 1% drop in antipathy to Israel through the year, with the number of Europeans sympathetic to Israel rising from 38% to 43% and the number of Europeans unsympathetic to Israel falling from 30% to 29%. ‎

A Foreign Ministry official said the turnaround in European attitudes ‎to Israel was the result of a combination of ‎factors that are preoccupying the EU and sidelining foreign affairs including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, such as the refugee crisis in Europe, tensions with ‎the Trump administration in the United States, and concerns over Brexit, the U.K.'s pending exit from the 28-member bloc.

‎"In the past, the EU associated 'the Middle East' ‎with Israel automatically. Today, when you say 'the ‎Middle East,' the average European thinks about Syria ‎and the refugees," the official said. ‎

Another factor is the decline of mainstream media ‎and the rise of social media, where Israel can ‎present unfiltered facts that cannot be ignored or ‎distorted by politically biased media outlets. ‎

A third reason is that the EU "has come to realize ‎that Israel is an asset," the official said. ‎

‎"We're seeing the same thing all over the continent: The ‎European public has come to see Israel as synonymous ‎with its strengths, such as cutting-edge technology, ‎smart agriculture, the cyber industry and ‎intelligence prowess.

‎"Israel greatly benefited from several global ‎changes. For over a decade, we at ‎the Foreign Ministry have been making a systematic ‎effort to showcase Israel's advantages, which is also ‎part of the prime minister's policy of opening up to ‎other arenas: Africa, Asia and Latin America.

‎"Now, after many years, we can see this effort ‎bearing fruit not only in terms of public opinion ‎but also in the economic and political ties that we ‎are developing," he said.

Related Posts

No withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas destroyed, hostages returned: Next phases of Operation Gideon's ChariotsIDF Spokesperson’s Unit

No withdrawal from Gaza until Hamas destroyed, hostages returned: Next phases of Operation Gideon's Chariots

by Lilach Shoval

Over the weekend, the Israeli Air Force launched a wave of intensive airstrikes, while the IDF began deploying forces to...

Hamas rejects Israeli proposal for hostage dealAFP

New framework on table, Hamas received promise from Qatar

by Danny Zaken

Despite the near-certain elimination of Mohammad Sinwar, Hamas has returned to negotiations on a hostage deal, with new proposals are...

'Fighting for our rightful place in society': Australian Jews confront rising antisemitismRoni Bintang/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia, France to impose Palestinian state without Israeli input

by Shirit Avitan Cohen

A June UN-backed conference will establish binding timeline for Palestinian state with sanctions for non-compliance, while disregarding Israel's security concerns...

Menu

Analysis 

Archaeology

Blogpost

Business & Finance

Culture

Exclusive

Explainer

Environment

 

Features

Health

In Brief

Jewish World

Judea and Samaria

Lifestyle

Cyber & Internet

Sports

 

Diplomacy 

Iran & The Gulf

Gaza Strip

Politics

Shopping

Terms of use

Privacy Policy

Submissions

Contact Us

About Us

The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30, 2007. Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better, more balanced and more accurate journalism. Journalism that speaks, not shouts. Journalism of a different kind. And free of charge.

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

Newsletter

[contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”]

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il