Israel has become increasingly isolated at global stages as the war and humanitarian crisis continues, with repulsion permeating into the economic, cultural and sports sectors.
International criticism has skyrocketed since Israel announced a ground attack on Gaza city and launched an unprecedented strike against Hamas leaders in Qatar’s soil. It also came as an independent UN survey last week, which first concluded that Israel had committed genocide against Gaza’s Palestinians.
Last week, Israel’s biggest trading partner, the European Union, proposed sanctions to partially suspend free trade agreements with Israel if approved by EU member states. Several Western countries have already implemented target sanctions against certain Israeli individuals, front posts of settlers, and organizations supporting violence in the occupied West Bank.
Global protests have also conflicted with Israel’s economy in other ways.
In August, the world’s largest Norwegian sovereign wealth fund announced that it would sell a portion of its Israeli portfolio as Gaza’s humanitarian crisis worsens.
Israel is also facing a partial or complete arms embargo for conduct in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and other Gaza.
The backlash is so severe that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself admitted it earlier this month, warning that Israel is facing a “some kind of isolation” that could last for years, adding that the country has no choice but to stand on its own. Netanyahu said Israel needs to develop the arms industry further and adapt its economy to not rely on external trade. He later downplayed those comments and said he was talking only about the defense industry.
As war escalates, Israel has also become a hit in the entertainment and culture sectors.
Broadcasting stations from several European countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain, have said they will boycott the much-loved Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to participate in 2026.
Israeli broadcaster Kan 11 said it would select Israeli contestants for 2026 to push forward with claiming that music celebrations should be “not politicized.” The European Broadcasting Union, organizer of Eurovision, said it will vote in November on which countries will be able to participate next year. Israel has been part of the Eurovision since 1973.
The Museum, a music festival held in Ghent, Belgium, recently canceled a concert at the Munich Philharmonic. This was scheduled to be performed with Israeli conductor Rahavshani. “Shani has spoken several times in the past in favor of peace and reconciliation, but … we cannot provide sufficient clarity about his attitude towards the Tel Aviv genocide regime.”
The Israeli government has argued that it firmly denies all genocide accusations in Gaza in accordance with self-defense and international law.
In Hollywood, thousands of filmmakers, actors and film industry workers have pledged not to cooperate with Israeli film institutions. This “relates to genocide and apartheid against the Palestinians.” Signatories include Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Andrew Garfield and Hannah Einbinder. He recently concluded Emmies’ acceptance speech with the phrase “free Palestine.”
There is no sports or immunity. The final stages of the massive bike race were cancelled earlier this month after several large pro-Palestinian demonstrations disrupt the event in protest of Israeli technical team participation. In Spain, the Chest Tournament organizers also said they urged Israeli players to withdraw from the competition earlier this month because they were unable to compete under the flag.
And Israeli media has recently reported fears that Israel could be at risk of a halt from European football competitions. In August, UEFA set fires after banners were displayed on the pitch before the Super Cup final, which read “kill children and stop killing civilians” without any particular mention of Israel or other countries. Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar said he and other Israeli officials were “working intensively” behind the scenes “blocking initiatives to expel Israel from UEFA.”
Several Premier League footballers, including Liverpool star Mohamed Sarah, also opposed the war in Gaza and sought solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel’s economic and cultural backlash sparked comparisons with the pressures placed in South Africa during an era of apartheid racial oppression.
Between the 1950s and 1990s, South Africa faced a powerful boycott movement that gradually turned into pariahs. South African products were drawn from grocery stores in the western region, campaigners urged sales and bank exits, and many musicians refused to play in the apartheid province. Sports boycotts saw the exclusion of South Africa from international sports such as cricket and ultimately rugby.
“Symbolics have more leverage than bolts and numbers,” Iran Barsh, former Israeli ambassador, told the former South African ambassador.
“Eurovision is very popular, football tournaments are very popular, and if it affects Israeli policy issues and pressures on culture and sports, etc., it will have an impact,” he told CNN, as in South Africa.
Baruch is currently the chairman of the Policy Working Group, a collection of Israeli scholars, activists and former diplomats, defending the perceptions of the Palestinian state and solutions in the two states.
He said that some assertive pressure on Israel was needed and that it was impossible for the country to retain “such privilege in trade relations with the EU” and “at the same time undermining Palestinian human rights and the future.”
“It’s not just a trade relationship, it’s Israel’s privileged position, now in balance,” he said.
The Israeli government also faces many opposition within the country, with regular protests against the war and extensive calls to reach a ceasefire to bring home hostages captured by Hamas militants in the attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, for the past 20 years, Palestinian-led civil society campaigns called boycotts, sale and sanctions (BDS) have sought to replicate the effects of South Africa’s anti-apartheid boycotts. After years of slight success, the movement has gained more attention and traction since the start of the war in Gaza.
This week’s UN General Assembly (UNGA) has brought Israel even more isolation on the global stage.
Several more Western countries officially recognized the Palestinian state prior to UNGA, including diplomatic heavy hitters from Canada, France and the UK.
Also, a new analysis of the key UNGA vote on resolutions relating to the Israeli-Palestinian issues between 2017 and 2025, conducted by Robert Satlov, executive director of the Washington Near East Policy Institute, found that some of Israeli longtime advocates would “leave the fold.”
The number of states that formally abstain from Israel-related UNGA votes is generally considered passive support for the country – is declining.
“There is no doubt that there is a performance vote here. Some of these countries that voted against Israel have a very important and quiet relationship with Israel and are considered strong partners,” Satlov told CNN. But from an Israeli perspective, “the trend should be confused when there is a clear pattern of once strong supporters moving in the opposite direction over time.”
Satloff said the big question is whether Israel’s aggravated diplomatic isolation can be repaired.
While some UN member states had already shown “deep hostility towards Israel” before the current conflict, others “will be deeply moved by the details of what’s going on in Gaza, and once the war ends it could soften the views of the Israeli government’s actions,” Satlov said.
Meanwhile, the UN Commission’s report on Gaza’s genocide attracted new attention to the International Criminal Court’s investigation into the situation in Palestine. The investigation recommends that prosecutors look into genocide as part of the case.
The issue of ICC’s arrest warrants for Netanyahu last year has already been severely restricted at places he can travel outside of Israel. Netanyahu’s flight to the UN Conference in New York this week took a wide range of routes (manipulating France and Spain airspace) in an apparent effort to avoid a country that could enforce a notable arrest warrant against him on suspicion of war crimes.
Despite a clear decline in support from other countries, the US remains firmly voting for Israel.
Speaking about Israeli strikes in Qatar soil earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said: “I think the president’s comments speaks to himself in that respect.
