For 77 years, Israel has enjoyed the unwavering support and admiration of the West, frequently championed as the only democracy in the Middle East. Israel built its reputation on technological innovation, military prowess, and a perceived alignment with Western values. The United States, in particular, has long treated Israel as a strategic ally and moral partner, extending vast amounts of financial and military aid. However, the events following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack have irrevocably shattered this carefully constructed image. Israel’s response—characterized by overwhelming force, mass civilian casualties, and a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza—has triggered a seismic shift in global perception. The dike has not just fractured; it is gushing, and no amount of public relations, diplomacy, and spin can contain the flood of international outrage and condemnation.
The turning point: October 7 and its aftermath
Hamas’s surprise attack, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the capture of 251 hostages, served as the catalyst. Israel’s retaliation, however, has been disproportionate and indiscriminate, leading to a humanitarian catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. The Palestinian death toll has soared past 61,000, with the vast majority being civilians, and over 140,000 injured. The destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure is almost total, transforming the strip into an unimaginable wasteland. Famine-like conditions have emerged, with more than 500,000 people facing starvation and over 94 children confirmed to have died from hunger-related causes. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), once a symbol of military morality, now finds itself on the United Nations’ “list of shame” for grave violations against children, a damning indictment delivered by Secretary-General António Guterres, who stated he was “appalled by the dramatic increase and unprecedented scale and intensity of grave violations” in Gaza.
Global condemnation: Allies recoil
The international backlash has been swift and unprecedented. Germany, historically one of Israel’s staunchest allies, has suspended arms exports to Israel that are usable in Gaza. Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared, “The scale of destruction and the toll on innocent civilians can no longer be justified in the name of self-defense.” The European Union has also initiated a formal review of its trade agreement with Israel, citing violations of human rights under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. A searing editorial from Israel’s liberal newspaper, Haaretz, warned, “The world is looking at us and no longer sees the victim; it sees the oppressor.” Even former Israeli diplomats have sounded the alarm, with a group of ex-envoys penning an open letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu stating, “You are destroying what we built in 77 years.” This withdrawal of support from key allies marks a historic low point in Israel’s diplomatic standing.
America’s shift: Youth and Jews say ‘Not in our name’
The erosion of support is particularly pronounced in the United States, where Israel’s military campaign has seen public approval plummet. A July 2025 Gallup poll revealed that only 32% of Americans approve of Israel’s actions in Gaza, a dramatic drop from 50% in November 2023. Among Democrats, approval has fallen to a staggering 8%, and among young adults under 35, only one in ten supports Israel’s military response. The image of Prime Minister Netanyahu has also cratered, with 52 per cent of Americans now viewing him unfavorably, his worst rating since Gallup began tracking him in 1997. Most tellingly, a growing chorus of Jewish Americans, particularly younger generations, has become increasingly vocal in their dissent. The chant “Not in our name” has become a mighty rallying cry at protests and on campuses across the country, signifying a deep and painful schism within the diaspora.
The collapse of the narrative
Israel’s long-standing narrative of being a moral democracy defending itself against terrorism is no longer persuasive. The IDF’s inclusion on the UN’s blacklist, coupled with the mass civilian death toll and the use of starvation as a weapon, has utterly eroded the moral high ground. The imagery of destroyed hospitals, starving children, and mass graves has replaced the image of a liberal democracy and a victim. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s statement was a stark reality check: “Israel’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong. It will only bring more bloodshed.” Inside Israel itself, influential voices like Gideon Levy of Haaretz are warning of a profound moral collapse, writing: “Most Israelis have lost all humanity toward Gaza… Eighty years after the Holocaust, we’re building camps while the world looks away.” The contrast between the stated democratic values and the brutal reality on the ground has become impossible to ignore.
Irreparable damage: The end of an era
The damage to Israel’s image is not cosmetic—it’s existential. This crisis has exposed a fundamental contradiction at the core of its identity. The decades-long narrative of a nation-state born of a historical tragedy and perpetually besieged has collapsed under the weight of its actions. The world no longer sees Israel as the victim, but as a regional superpower using overwhelming force against a vulnerable civilian population. The despair is palpable, even among some of its most ardent supporters. Ari Shavit, writing in Haaretz, captured this sense of irreversible loss: “We have passed the point of no return… Perhaps we should calmly watch as the State of Israel takes its last breath.” This is not a slow seep; it is a rapid deluge. The global tide has turned, and Israel’s image has suffered a mortal blow that no amount of PR, diplomacy, or spin can reverse. The “darling of the West” is now a cautionary tale of hubris and moral decay. Unless Israel fundamentally rethinks its path, the rupture with its historical allies and the global community may become permanent, leaving the Palestinian resistance to stand on Israel’s grave in the distant future.
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250813-israels-image-from-darling-of-the-west-to-global-pariah/
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