Winning the war, losing the world: Israel's isolation deepens as US support wanes

The cost of victory (Image: AFP)

The small Jewish nation, roughly the size of New Jersey, which was established in 1948, appears to have nearly eliminated immediate threats to its security.

Israel has systematically targeted and weakened its major adversaries - Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen, and even Iran - significantly reducing, if not neutralizing, the threat of a nuclear-armed Tehran, according to a New York Times report.

But it has paid a cost to achieve it. Is Israel paying the price for prioritizing victory in the war? Is Israel isolated by the world? 

The Israeli leadership is now accused of genocide and war crimes and disdained by some world leaders, according to a New York Times report. In opinion polls globally, most people have a negative view of Israel.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to take relentless and unapologetic military action against the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people, and they took 250 people hostage.

While inside Israel, many feel that the decision to prioritize military victories over the return of the hostages has deeply wounded people. And the violence has strained the goodwill of the country's allies and neighbors.

As around hundreds of Israeli soldiers have lost their lives in the war against Hamas, and about 20 living hostages are still imprisoned in Hamas tunnels after 631 days.

Recently, Netanyahu visited Hamas-raided Nir Oz Kibbutz for the first time and pledged hostage return.

While Israelis welcome the prospect of a future in which they are no longer surrounded by well-armed enemies determined to do them harm, even if it means being viewed negatively by the rest of the world.

Israel's biggest cheerleader, the United States, that supported its actions, now seems to remove bipartisan consensus for defending Tel Aviv.

The support for the country has become a fiercely contentious issue in Congress, the subject of angry debates and protests on college campuses, and fuel for a surge in antisemitic incidents in the United States and around the world.

The political climate has become deeply polarized. Many supporters of Israel denounce any criticism as antisemitic hate, while those opposed to Israeli policies vow not to be silenced by a label they call unfair.

In 1981, Menachem Begin, the prime minister of Israel, told Israeli's  "never pause to wonder what the world will think or say." He told a group of American Jews that "the world may not necessarily like the fighting Jew, but the world will have to take account of him."

This seems not to work as after 20 months of long fighting the country is facing some consequences globally. Israel has created a new wave of global opinion critical of its goals and methods. And many Israelis now feel threatened while abroad, even as they are more secure at home

Period of global isolation? 

A survey conducted by Pew Research across countries shows a significant rise in negative perceptions of Israel. In 20 of those countries, more than half of the respondents reported having an unfavorable view of Israel. In eight nations - Australia, Greece, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey - around 75% of people shared this sentiment.

Just two countries Nigeria and Kenya, reported majorities with favorable views of Israel.

The ripple effects of Israel's actions have been felt across the Persian Gulf, where countries like Saudi Arabia had shown willingness to establish diplomatic and economic ties with Israel before October 7.

However, analysts now believe that hopes for normalizing relations have been significantly set back as the war in Gaza continues. According to a New York Times report, Persian Gulf nations have increasingly linked the prospect of diplomatic ties to a resolution of the Palestinian issue.

However, Israel’s regional diplomatic prospects aren’t entirely bleak. It is currently engaged in talks with Syria’s new government over a possible truce. Analysts suggest that once the conflict with Hamas comes to an end, the possibility of resuming normalization efforts with Saudi Arabia could re-emerge.

The cost for Israel has also included diplomatic setbacks, as Spain, Norway, and Ireland formally recognized a Palestinian state a pointed, though mostly symbolic, move aimed at pressuring Israel to end the conflict. French President Emmanuel Macron has also signaled his intention to follow suit in the near future.

Worldwide anger

Support for Israel among Americans has dropped to 46%, the lowest in 25 years, according to a recent Gallup survey. Meanwhile, sympathy for Palestinians has risen to 33%, up from 13% in 2003.

However, Netanyahu to visit US on Monday to meet President Trump.

In Washington, D.C., two Israeli Embassy employees were fatally shot in May in what officials labeled a hate crime and act of terrorism. The attacker reportedly told authorities, "I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza."

At Britain's Glastonbury music festival last weekend, punk rap duo Bob Vylan chanted, "Death to the IDF," a reference to the Israeli military, prompting U.S. officials to deny the band's visas for a tour set to begin in October.

The Trump administration has used campus tensions to criticize universities for not addressing antisemitism. In May, the Department of Health and Human Services found that Columbia University showed "deliberate indifference towards student-on-student harassment of Jewish students."

While Democratic lawmakers have accused Trump of exaggerating the situation for political gain.

The rising death toll in Gaza, widespread hunger, and Israeli hostages still held by Hamas have weakened Israel’s global support. This may be seen as winning the war, but it comes at the cost of international isolation.