Over half of Israelis fear revealing their identity abroad, study shows

Survey finds widespread concern among Israelis traveling abroad

A new survey conducted this month by the Center for Jewish Impact has found that more than half of Israelis feel some level of concern about revealing their nationality while traveling abroad. The poll, which covered social cohesion, religious divides, and diplomacy, found that 52% of Israelis reported feeling such concern, while 41% said they have actively changed their behavior abroad since October 7—including changing travel destinations, canceling trips, or avoiding specific activities.

The findings come amid what the survey describes as rising antisemitism and growing anti-Israel hostility, as well as what it calls a disintegration of Israel's relations with other countries. The Center for Jewish Impact's chairman, Robert Singer, commented on the data, calling for a long-term strategic plan to address the issues raised.

A backdrop of reported incidents against Israeli tourists

The survey's findings reflect a context of reported incidents against Israeli tourists abroad. Since October 7, there has been a marked uptick in instances of abuse against Israeli tourists amid a global surge in anti-Israeli and antisemitic sentiment, according to reporting by The Jewish Chronicle. Videos of Israeli tourists being harassed in cafes and other public spaces have circulated online.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, 15 Israeli athletes and their teams were sent death threats, promising to kill them if they entered France and threatening to repeat the 1972 Munich massacre, which saw 11 Israeli athletes and coaches murdered by Black September, a Palestinian militant group.

Earlier this year, Israeli tourists in Mongolia were attacked by a man armed with an axe, shouting antisemitic slurs including "Heil Hitler," according to The Times of Israel. The incident occurred after the armed man overheard the group speaking Hebrew, and one man suffered a fractured jaw.

In July, the National Center for Combatting Antisemitism reported that a group of 11 Israeli tourists were attacked at a beach in Budva, Montenegro, after telling a group of men they were from Israel. The attackers allegedly shouted "free Palestine" and "f* Israel" before leaving and returning with another dozen or so men. The group then verbally abused, threatened, and physically attacked the Israelis, who were punched, kicked, chased, and hit with chairs, while one had a cigarette put out on him.

In early August, an IDF reservist was harassed by a Spanish tourist at a cafe on Siargao Island in the Philippines, with the assailant calling him a baby killer, threatening to kill him, and punching him before being restrained.

Government warnings and official assessments

The Israeli government has issued several warnings to Israelis traveling abroad about the prospect of antizionist violence. In 2024, Israel's National Security Council identified a "continuous trend of heightened threats" against Israelis abroad, warning against travel to Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran in particular.

Public diplomacy and international standing

The survey also revealed significant criticism of Israel's international diplomacy and outreach. While 64% of respondents rate the strategic relationship between Israel and the United States as strong, only 23% believe that Israel effectively communicates its policies and positions to international audiences. In fact, 70% assess Israeli public diplomacy as ineffective.

Despite this, the survey found that the public does not view Israel's worsened international standing as irreversible. Some 33% identify formulating a long-term national strategy for public diplomacy and communication as the most critical step required to improve Israel's global standing, while 25% point to changes in government policy and decision-making processes. Only 14% believe that Israel's international standing cannot be significantly improved.

The survey also highlighted broad support for strengthening ties between Israel and global Jewry. A majority of the public (70%) believe the State of Israel should invest resources in Diaspora communities. Among them, 26% prefer the investment to focus on encouraging aliyah (immigration to Israel), 23% on protecting communities, and 17% on civil society assistance.

Social cohesion and optimism

On domestic matters, the survey found that 73% believe Israel can be a cohesive society, up from 67% in February 2026—the highest since the survey began. However, only 64% believe that secular and haredim can coexist, and only 42% believe in Jewish-Arab coexistence.

Robert Singer, chairman of the Center for Jewish Impact, commented on the data, describing some of the findings as a "red flag" and calling for a long-term strategic plan to address the issues raised.