80% of Israelis feel negatively towards the UN, Pew Research Center study shows

A Pew Research Center survey reveals the mixed attitudes held by Israelis ahead of the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

The majority of Israelis, 80%, have overwhelmingly negative opinions of the United Nations, according to a Pew Research Center study conducted in Israel in early 2025.

The center’s methodology involved asking participants a series of questions and having them rate their views on a scale from “very unfavorable” to “very favorable” or from “very helpful” to “very harmful,” with the intent of tracking public opinion regarding the UN.

80% of all participants shared an unfavorable view of the UN. 51% reported very unfavorable views, highlighting the strong feelings of many participants.

The results of this study were compared to those of previous yearly studies conducted by Pew. The results of this study show a stark 18% increase from a 2023 survey conducted by the center, which reported that 62% of Israelis shared those views.

Unfavorable vs. favorable views by demographic

Across the ideological spectrum, negative opinions have risen among those on the political right, left, and center. The disapproval of right-leaning and centrist Israelis both increased by 5% over the past year, according to a 2024 Pew study. The opinions of left-leaning participants showed the greatest difference, rising by 12%, more than double the increase of the other two groups combined.

While all ideological groups surveyed followed similar trajectories, ethnic demographics revealed disparities among ethnic groups. 89% of Israeli Jews reported negative opinions, a jump of 7% since 2024. In contrast, Israeli Arabs reported more favorable views than in 2024, dropping to 50% disapproval from 53%.

Views on UN peacemaking efforts

The overall trend of Israeli adults feeling negatively towards the UN was also apparent when participants were asked to rate their views on the UN’s helpfulness in peacemaking efforts.

66% of respondents viewed the UN as actively harmful, with 44% responding that it was very harmful.

There was a much larger disparity in views between Jewish and Arab respondents regarding this line of inquiry. 80% of Jewish Israelis view the UN’s influence as harmful, contrary to 56% of Arab participants who shared opposite responses. 56% of Arab Israeli participants viewed the peacemaking efforts as helpful, an opinion shared by 7% of Jews surveyed.

Across the ideological spectrum, the responses of each group were very defined. The ideological right held the harshest views, with 83% considering it harmful. Centrists were slightly less negative, 68%. That is still more than double the percentage of left-leaning participants who reported seeing the UN as a hindrance to peace, which was only 30%.

The Pew Center’s survey was conducted from February 5 through March 11, 2025. The study recorded responses from a diverse sample of 1,000 adults, including both Israeli Jews and Arab Israelis, with views spanning the political spectrum.

The results of the study were released as the IDF began its renewed operations in Gaza City, and ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting.