From global adoration after the Six-Day War to ranking among the least-liked nations today: how “Not Loving Israel” became a trend. Sixty years of brand erosion
In Season 6 of the American series “Mad Men,” a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot reveals a poster of Moshe Dayan above an Advertising executive’s bed. This fleeting moment shot in a series crowded with characters and subplots, sparked a strong online debate: what’s Israel’s former defense minister doing appearing in the bedroom of a Madison Av. Creative?
At that point in the series timeline—1968 to 1969—the show excels in conveying a cultural atmosphere not through plots or dialogue, but through exquisite attention to mise-en-scene and props . The Dayan poster wasn’t random. It was a semiotic historical symbol of just how powerful the “Israel” brand was, in the immediate aftermath of the Six-Day War.
The hashtag #FreePalestine appeared in over 20 million social media posts in the two months following October 7, 2023. By contrast, pro-Israel hashtags like #StandWithIsrael and #BringThemHomeNow garnered barely 1 million posts— one-twentieth less.
Back then, admiration wasn’t merely about military triumph. For many Americans, especially in liberal circles, Israel embodied justice. It was seen as a place of refuge for Holocaust survivors, surrounded by fascist regimes bent on annihilation—and triumphing in David vs. Goliath constructs aligning perfectly with the American dream and fantasy of the lone sheriff standing up to a gang of outlaws.
But it wasn’t just Bible Belt cowboy types. Liberal, progressive Americans saw Israel as egalitarian, innovative, and willing to experiment with radical models like the Kibbutz. Which is why “Mad Men”’s Stan Rizzo,proudly displays Moshe Dayan’s poster.Back then, Israel wasn’t just admired—it was cool. And cool, as any brand expert knows, is currency.
Where are we now? We’re not talking about politicians yelling “everyone’s antisemitic!” to rally the base. We’re talking numbers. Hard data from reputable research institutions tracking public sentiment toward nations and peoples. And the results? Grim.
How the World Has Seen Us Over the Years
For decades, global attitudes toward Israel were measured primarily through traditional polling—flawed and clunky by today’s standards, but useful for long-term trend analysis.
Gallup Polls.
- In 1967, 56% of Americans sympathized with Israel; only 4% with “the Arabs.”
- Through the 1970s and 1980s, Israel's support ranged from 37% to 49%, while Arab support stayed mostly under 10%.
- From 1993 to 2001, support for Israel hovered between 38% and 45%, while support for Palestinians rose to 11%-15%.
- Support peaked in February 2021, right as Joe Biden took office—an all-time high of 75%, following years of pro-Israel sentiment under Trump.
- By 2024, post-October 7 and deep into the war, support had dropped to 58%—its lowest since 2009.
- In 2024, 66% of Republicans sympathized with Israel, compared to just 39% of Democrats—the widest partisan gap ever recorded.
Pew Research Center.
- In May 2023, only 37% of Americans aged 18–29 viewed Israel favorably, compared to 71% among those 65 and older.
- By March 2024, 46% of young adults (18–29) believed Israel’s response in Gaza was “excessive,” versus 26% among seniors.
- When asked whether Hamas had a legitimate reason to launch its war, 34% of young adults said yes, compared to 18% of older adults.
- Overall, 58% of Americans believed Israel had valid grounds to retaliate.
BBC World Service Poll (2017).
- Among 16 nations ranked for global positive influence, Israel placed 14th.
- Only 25% of global respondents saw Israel as a force for good—far below Canada (61%), Germany (59%), and Japan (56%).
Nation Brand Index (Anholt-GfK).
- In 2010, Israel ranked 28th out of 50 countries.
- By 2023, it had slipped to 36th.
The Digital Age: Sentiment Analysis at Scale
Traditional polls give us broad understanding—but they miss nuance. In today’s world, where public opinion shifts in real-time and data is everywhere, new tools offer a deeper, sharper lens.
AI-Era Research: Reading the Room Online
- Brandwatch tracked mentions of Israel online:
- 2019: 42% positive, 32% neutral, 26% negative
- 2022: 29% positive, 31% neutral, 40% negative
- Post–Oct 7, 2023: 17% positive, 62% negative
Talkwalker Hashtag Index (Dec 2023):
- #FreePalestine: 20+ million posts
- #StandWithIsrael / #BringThemHomeNow: ~1 million posts
Watermelon Sticker & Symbolic Solidarity
- Meta: 427% increase in watermelon emoji use (April 2024)
- TikTok: 2.3B+ views for #watermelon content (mostly pro-Palestinian)
Algorithmic Incentives for Pro-Palestinian Content
- HypeAuditor: #FreePalestine posts saw 193% more engagement; pro-Israel posts, 37%
- Graphika: TikTok amplified pro-Palestinian content, with 217% follower growth, 309% revenue boost for creators
Socialbakers (Dec 2023):
- IG Stories with “Free Palestine” stickers = 2.3x more views
- 74% of influencers had no prior political content
CreatorIQ (April 2024):
- 67% posted pro-Palestinian due to peer pressure
- 42% feared losing followers
- 31% cited personal conviction
Zignal Labs (Oct 2023–Feb 2024):
- 31% of posts doubted reports on Oct 7
- #FakeNews / #IsraelLies in 1.8M+ posts
- Tweets denying sexual violence = 179% more retweets
Pulsar (2019–2023):
- 380% rise in pro-Palestinian hashtags on Twitter/X
- 2.7x more engagement than pro-Israel posts
- Top Israel-related words: “occupation” (56%), “apartheid” (42%), “war crimes” (38%)
Talkwalker Emotion Index (2023):
- Anger (41%), Disappointment (28%), Fear (19%)
- Admiration = only 12%
We could go on and on with more charts, hashtags, doubts and facts. But you get the picture.
We started this edition on a low. From here—the only way is up.
