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Allies to Adversaries: Waning Global Support for Israel
A pro-Hamas march in London, United Kingdom, Feb. 17, 2024. Photo: Chrissa Giannakoudi via Reuters Connect
The aftermath of Hamas’ brutal assault on Oct. 7th, 2023 — resulting in 1,200 deaths and leaving Israel shaken — has exposed a concerning global trend.
The Jewish State, defending itself against an existential threat, finds itself under fire from well-known adversaries — but also from nations that have long been considered allies.
A troubling shift in rhetoric and policy reveals a prevalent bias against Israel, calling into question the commitment of Western democracies to principles of fairness and justice.
Across Europe, protests and political narratives blur the distinction between valid criticism of Israeli war tactics and outright bigotry. The United Kingdom has seen over 100,000 people march in pro-Palestinian rallies since the October attacks, many which support Hamas and call for violence against Jews.
While these events often claim to advocate for Palestinian rights, chants such as “From the river to the sea” — a call for Israel’s destruction — are alarmingly common, as are acts of physical violence. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has refrained from condemning such slogans despite growing concerns from Jewish communities about a surge in antisemitism.
France has seen a similar spike in bigotry, with hundreds of antisemitic incidents reported in the past year alone. Jewish schools and synagogues have been targeted, further alienating Jewish citizens.
Meanwhile, in Spain, prominent left-wing politicians like Ernest Urtasun have framed Israel as the aggressor, while failing to condemn Hamas’ war crimes, and Hamas’ use of human shields and hostage-taking. Selective outrage, as seen in Spain, underscores a troubling trend in Western Europe, where anti-Israel activism often spills over into antisemitism.
In the United States, a historical stronghold of support for Israel, cracks are appearing, particularly within the Democratic Party. Numerous Democratic lawmakers have pushed for ceasefires without acknowledging Hamas’ use of civilians as human shields — or repeating President Biden and Kamala Harris’ promise that Hamas will not be allowed to retain power in Gaza. Not only that, but some Democrats are blaming support for Israel for their resounding defeat in a presidential election that had nothing to do with foreign policy.
The Biden administration faces mounting pressure from progressive lawmakers to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, even as Hamas diverts billions into its war effort, instead of civilian needs.
Figures like Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) have refused to condemn Hamas’ atrocities, focusing their criticism entirely on Israel. College campuses, including prestigious institutions like Harvard University and Columbia University, have become antisemitic breeding grounds, with some faculty and student groups openly supporting terrorist attacks, and censoring and assaulting Jewish students.
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), antisemitic incidents in the US increased by 360% in the past year, a rise closely tied to anti-Israel propaganda.
Beyond individual nations, international institutions like the United Nations have amplified this bias. Since 2015, the UN has passed more than 140 resolutions targeting Israel, compared to a mere handful addressing human rights abuses by Hamas or Hezbollah. These resolutions, framed as calls for accountability, fail to acknowledge Hamas’ deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians and its documented use of human shields.
The UN is attacking Israel because it’s a country of Jews — or else those 140 resolutions would also have been passed against Russia, Afghanistan, North Korea, and the countries of the world that actually are committing war crimes and grave human rights abuses.
Bigotry against Israel also extends to economic measures, with support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel growing across Europe. This campaign attempts to systematically undermine Israel’s economy and erode its international standing, often disregarding the oppressive regimes and terrorist organizations in the region that perpetuate the conflict.
Israel’s battle is not only against terrorism, but also against an international narrative infused with hypocrisy and bias. Nations that claim to foster human rights must recognize the security needs of the world’s only Jewish state. Defaming Israel undermines its right to defend its citizens and fails to respect a democratic nation.
The international community must move beyond its selective outrage and hold all parties accountable. Criticizing Israel while ignoring Hamas’ atrocities is not advocacy for peace — instead, it is continuing the cycle of violence.
In this climate of rising hostility, Israel stands not only for its survival, but for the principles of truth, justice, and the universal right of every nation to defend itself against terror. The world must resist promoting bias and uphold democratic values before the damage to Israel becomes irreparable.
Gregory Lyakhov has written for The Times of Israel, and is a passionate advocate for Israel. He runs a political blog focusing on elections, law, and Israel.
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Washington Warns UK, France Against Recognizing Palestinian Statehood
Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy leaves Downing Street, following the results of the election, in London, Britain, July 5, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Toby Melville
i24 News – The United States has warned the UK and France not to unilaterally recognize a Palestinian state at a UN conference scheduled for June 17 in New York, the Middle East Eye reported Tuesday.
France and Saudi Arabia will co-host this conference on the two-state solution, with Paris reportedly preparing to unilaterally recognize Palestine. France is also pressuring London to follow this path, according to sources from the British Foreign Office.
French media reports indicate that French authorities believe they have the agreement of the British government. Meanwhile, Arab states are encouraging this move, measuring the success of the conference by the recognitions obtained.
This initiative deeply divides Western allies. If France and the UK were to carry out this recognition, they would become the first G7 nations to take this step, causing a “political earthquake” according to observers, given their historical ties with Israel. The Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer threatened last week to annex parts of the West Bank if this recognition took place, according to a report in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
In the United Kingdom, Foreign Secretary David Lammy publicly opposes unilateral recognition, stating that London would only recognize a Palestinian state when we know that it is going to happen and that it is in view.
However, pressure is mounting within the Labour Party. MP Uma Kumaran, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the government was elected on a platform that promised to recognize Palestine as a step towards a just and lasting peace. Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding, believes that there is no legitimate reason for the United States to interfere in a sovereign decision of recognition, while highlighting the unpredictability of US President Donald Trump on this issue.
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Police, Shin Bet Thwart Suspected Iranian Attempt Perpetrate Terror Attack
A small number of Jewish worshipers pray during the priestly blessing, a traditional prayer which usually attracts thousands of worshipers at the Western Wall on the holiday of Passover during 2020, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Jerusalem’s Old City, April 12, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.
i24 News – The Shin Bet security agency and Israel Police thwarted another Iranian attempt to recruit Israelis, according to a statement on Tuesday, arresting a resident of East Jerusalem for allegedly carrying out missions for the Islamic Republic.
Iranian agents recruited the suspect, who in turn recruited members of his family. He is a resident of the Isawiya neighborhood in his 30s, and is accused of maintaining contact with a hostile foreign entity to harm the state by carrying out a terrorist attack against Jews.
The suspect had already begun perpetrating acts of sabotage and espionage, including collecting intelligence about areas in Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and Mahane Yehuda Market. He also hung signs, burned Israeli army uniforms, and more in exchange for payment totaling thousands of shekels.
He was also charged with planning a terror attack in central Israel, including setting fire to a forest, and was told to transfer weapons to terrorist elements in the West Bank.
The suspect’s sought the help of family members, including his mother. A search at his home revealed sums of cash, a spray can used in some of his activities, airsoft guns, suspected illegal drugs, and more.
His indictment is expected to be filed by the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office.
The statement said that the case is yet another example of Iranian efforts to recruit Israelis. “We will continue to coordinate efforts to thwart terrorism and terrorist elements, including those operating outside Israel, while attempting to mobilize local elements in order to protect the citizens of the State of Israel,” the Shin Bet and Police said.
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Pro-Russian, Anti-Israeli Hackers Pose Biggest Cybercrime Threats in Germany
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt holds a chart showing the development of antisemitic crime, during a press conference on Figures for Politically Motivated Crime in the Country, in Berlin, Germany, May 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner
Cybercrime in Germany rose to a record level last year, driven by hacker attacks from pro-Russian and anti-Israeli groups, the BKA Federal Crime Office reported on Tuesday as the government said it would boost countermeasures to combat it.
“Cybercrime is an increasing threat to our security,” said Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. “It is getting more aggressive but our counter-strategies are also becoming more professional,” he said.
Some 131,391 cases of cybercrime took place in Germany last year and a further 201,877 cases were committed from abroad or an unknown location, a BKA report said.
The actors behind the hacker attacks on German targets were primarily either pro-Russian or anti-Israeli, said the BKA, adding targets were mostly public and federal institutions.
Ransomware, when criminals copy and encrypt data, is one of the main threats, said the BKA, with 950 companies and institutes reporting cases in 2024.
German digital association Bitkom said damage caused by cyberattacks here totaled 178.6 billion euros ($203.87 billion) last year, some 30.4 billion euros more than in the previous year.
Dobrindt said the government planned to extend the legal capabilities authorities could use to combat cybercrime and set higher security standards for companies.
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