Three Years After October 7, Israelis See Their Country as Increasingly Middle Eastern

Three years after the October 7 attacks, Israelis' perceptions of their national identity, security and relationship with Europe appear to have shifted significantly, according to the latest Israel-Europe Barometer, conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the European Forum.

The 2026 survey shows a stronger sense of Israeli identity and a growing perception that Israel is fundamentally a Middle Eastern country rather than a European one.

The barometer, led by Professor Gisela Dachs, regularly examines how Israelis and Europeans perceive each other and tracks changes in public opinion over time. Launched in 2022, it provides a comparative picture of how attitudes have evolved since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the subsequent war.

Israelis increasingly identify Israel with the Middle East

In 2026, 42% of Israelis surveyed described Israel as a Middle Eastern country, compared with just 18% who viewed it as closer to Europe.

The shift is particularly striking among Arab Israelis. Since 2022, the share of Arab Israeli respondents who see Israel as part of the Middle East has more than tripled.

The trend builds on an already visible shift in 2022, when 31% of respondents described Israel as more closely connected to the Middle East, compared with 23% who associated it more closely with Europe.

The findings suggest that the events of the past three years have reinforced an Israeli sense of belonging to the region, at a time when the country's relationship with European governments has become increasingly contentious.

Israelis and Europeans see Jewish security differently

Security has also become a major dividing line between Israeli and European perceptions.

A large majority of Israelis surveyed consider Israel safer for Jews than Europe.

European respondents, however, are considerably more divided on the question.

Poland stands out among the four European countries surveyed, with 35% of respondents saying Israel is the safest place for Jews.

The divergence comes as the security of Jewish communities in Europe has become an increasingly prominent issue in public debate since October 7, amid heightened concerns about antisemitism and attacks against Jewish communities in several European countries.

For Israelis, the survey suggests that Europe is increasingly being assessed not only through its political relationship with Israel, but also through the perceived security of Jewish life on the continent.

Israelis are becoming more critical of the European Union

The survey also points to a more critical Israeli view of the European Union.

Compared with 2024, a growing proportion of Israeli respondents no longer view the EU as a successful project. The shift is particularly pronounced among Jewish Israelis.

The change comes against the backdrop of increasingly complicated relations between Israel and several European governments since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

European criticism of Israel's military campaign, disagreements over the Gaza war and debates surrounding Palestinian statehood have all contributed to a more difficult political relationship.

The barometer, however, focuses on public perceptions rather than official diplomatic relations, providing a broader picture of how Israelis themselves view Europe.

Germany remains Israel's most positively viewed European country

Despite the broader deterioration in perceptions of Europe, Israelis continue to distinguish sharply between individual European countries.

Germany remains the European country most widely perceived as friendly toward Israel, followed by Hungary.

The Netherlands, by contrast, has experienced a significant decline in its image among Israelis and is now viewed as one of the countries least favorable toward Israel.

Germany's position is particularly notable given the historical relationship between the two countries.

In 2026, 67% of Jewish Israeli respondents said that today's Germany is a “different Germany” from the Germany that existed before 1945.

That figure was 75% in 2024, suggesting that while the vast majority of Jewish Israelis continue to distinguish contemporary Germany from Nazi Germany, the proportion doing so has declined.

The change highlights how historical memory remains an important component of Israeli perceptions of Europe.

France and Spain seen as most antisemitic

One of the survey's most striking findings concerns perceptions of antisemitism.

When asked which European countries they consider the most antisemitic, Israeli respondents most frequently named France and Spain.

The finding reflects the growing importance of antisemitism in how Israelis assess Europe following October 7.

It also illustrates a broader shift in the criteria Israelis use to evaluate European countries. Diplomatic positions remain important, but perceptions of antisemitism and the security of Jewish communities increasingly appear to shape public attitudes.

A survey tracking a changing relationship

The 2026 Israel-Europe Barometer is based on surveys conducted by Kantar in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Poland, with approximately 1,000 respondents in each country. The Israeli sample included 1,003 respondents.

The European surveys were conducted in June and July 2026, while the Israeli fieldwork took place in May.

Because the barometer has been conducted regularly since 2022, its value lies not only in the individual figures but also in the changes they reveal over time.

The latest findings suggest that the relationship between Israel and Europe has become increasingly fragmented.

For Israelis, the country is now more strongly perceived as part of the Middle East than Europe, while national identity appears to have strengthened following the trauma and upheaval of October 7.

At the same time, Europe is increasingly viewed through the lenses of security, antisemitism and European governments' positions on Israel and the Gaza war.

Three years after October 7, the survey therefore points to a profound change in how Israelis position themselves in relation to Europe.

Israel may still maintain deep historical, economic and cultural ties with Europe, but in the eyes of many Israelis, the events of the past three years have reinforced a different reality: Israel increasingly sees itself not as a European country facing the Middle East, but as a Middle Eastern country whose relationship with Europe is being fundamentally reassessed.

Caroline Haïat