We have reached a point where hardly a week goes by without the need to address antisemitism. Were it not so! But these are the times, and antisemitism is that fire alarm that keeps going off. The alarm itself is not the problem. In fact, the alarm is a good thing; it warns us that something dangerous is burning beneath the surface. Antisemitism is not only a warning for Israel but for all nations. We are reminded of the biblical principle: “To the Jew first and also to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16). What begins with the Jewish people rarely ends there, revealing a deeper moral and spiritual crisis that ultimately threatens everyone.
A survey released last Thursday indicates that antisemitism and anti-Zionism are growing by leaps and bounds and may have reached a point of no return. The findings come from a Pew Research Center survey conducted from Feb. 8 to May 13, 2026. The survey sought to determine how the world regards Israel today, and the result, as they titled it, is: The world is increasingly sour on Israel. The study was conducted across 36 countries, where an average of 67% hold unfavorable views of Israel, while only 25% hold favorable views. More than half the people in the world look at Israel unfavorably.
Muslim countries are among the first on the list. That is to be expected. The top country is Turkey, with 97% unfavorable and only 1% favorable. That is also expected; Ezekiel the prophet tells us that they will join the nations at war with Gog and Magog.
Surprisingly, among non-Muslim countries, Japan ranks at the top, with 83% of people not in favor of Israel. This reflects the power of the media, which has influenced the Japanese despite there being fewer than 2000 Jews in Japan. Here in Canada, it is sadly 65% to 38%. The US stands at 60% unfavorable and 37% favorable; that is a very high percentage disliking Israel. This is a major shift, as the US is one of the few countries left in the world that is friendly to Israel.
This trend was evident in several disturbing incidents last week. On June 3, an Israeli couple with a confirmed reservation at a hotel in Germany received a message via an online booking platform that read: “Sorry, there are no Jews allowed.” Are we returning to the 1930s? Such discrimination is chillingly reminiscent of the attitudes and policies that spread across Europe before the Holocaust.
On the same day in England, a Jewish doctor preparing to immigrate to Israel reported that some physicians had told him they would refuse to treat Israeli patients, even if their lives were in danger. Also on June 3, The Times of Israel reported that an Israeli passenger aircraft was denied permission to land at an airport in Slovenia and was forced to divert to neighboring Croatia. That is a remarkable number of incidents in a single week and a sobering reminder of the climate in which we live.
And with all of this, the media continues to give extensive coverage to allegations against Israel while paying far less attention to similar events elsewhere. For example, about three weeks ago, when Israeli naval forces intercepted a large Gaza-bound flotilla of roughly fifty vessels, the incident sparked international outrage. Governments around the world demanded explanations from Israel, and the story dominated headlines for days.
Yet at the same time, a separate convoy of more than 200 activists attempting to reach Gaza via Libya encountered serious difficulties. Several members of the delegation negotiating with Libyan authorities were detained. Participants reported mistreatment, and concerns were raised about the whereabouts and condition of some of the negotiators. The contrast is striking. The Israeli interception drew worldwide attention and diplomatic protests. The events in Libya, however, received very little international scrutiny and far fewer official condemnations.
And just yesterday, Israeli media reported that France has opened a “war crimes” investigation into Israel’s treatment of flotilla activists. That prompts a simple question: What has France said about Libya’s treatment of the flotilla activists? I searched for an answer but found no public statement from the French government even mildly criticizing Libya’s treatment of those activists. An AI search also turned up no statements from France on this issue. The contrast is striking and reminds us how much discernment and prayer are needed in these days. We need to pray for France.
Returning to the Pew survey, another disturbing finding emerged. The study revealed a sharp political divide in attitudes toward Israel in the United States. Among those on the political left, 83% held an unfavorable view of Israel, compared with only 37% on the right. In the United States, the political left is largely represented by the Democratic Party. This means that if President Trump’s party, the Republicans, were to lose the next election, one of Israel’s strongest allies in the White House could be replaced by leadership far less supportive of the Jewish state.
Yet in standing alone, Israel is also becoming what the prophet Zechariah described it as, a burdensome stone to the nations. Through a constant stream of accusations, misinformation, and hostility, Israel is increasingly seen as a burden the world wishes it did not have to carry. This is precisely the picture Zechariah presents in Zechariah 12:3, “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.”
As antisemitism continues to rise around the world, the words of Zechariah no longer seem distant or symbolic. They are increasingly visible to us.
More than ever, this is a time for prayer, discernment, and unwavering confidence in God’s promises. It is also a time to stand for Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. In the end, the world’s opposition to Israel is opposition to Him. While wars may escalate and antisemitism may continue to rise, one truth remains certain: The Lord will prevail.
Click here for the Video: Israel and the Nations – The World Against Israel – The Numbers Are Shocking