Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Israel has become a “negative brand” among Americans, particularly students, amid the Gaza war. In a recent interview, he said that when US students are asked about Israel, the word “genocide” now comes to mind. Bennett described this as the first time since Israel’s founding that its image has reached such a point among the American public.

Bennett acknowledged the impact of the Gaza war and Israel’s international image crisis, while rejecting the perception as neither true nor fair. He also blamed Qatar for influencing US public opinion, claiming it had been allowed to build influence in the United States over the past 25 years and had helped shape sentiment against Israel.

International criticism of Israel’s military operation in Gaza has increased over civilian casualties and worsening humanitarian conditions. Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. The report also says more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed and over 4,300 injured in Israeli attacks after a US-backed ceasefire took effect last October.