A recent Gallup survey shows that Israelis and Americans hold the most negative views of the United Nations, with approval rates of only 9 % and a net score of –61 for Israel, the lowest among surveyed nations. The poll also indicates that a majority of Americans rate the UN poorly in five core areas: humanitarian assistance (53 %), development support (63 %), human rights protection (70 %), upholding international law (70 %) and maintaining peace and security (73 %).
Israel’s criticism of the UN intensified during the Gaza conflict, with the government repeatedly accusing the body of bias. In May, Israeli Foreign Secretary described the UN as a “politicized and corrupt organization that has abandoned its founding principles and systematically targets Israel as its primary mission.” The UN’s General Assembly in New York this week featured speeches from U.S. President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, while Secretary‑General António Guterres warned that Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank “bulldozes the path to peace and raises the spectre of ethnic cleansing.”
Trump has long dismissed the UN as ineffective, questioning its purpose during a 2025 speech and saying it “is not even coming close to living up to potential.” Gallup notes that while Americans largely support the UN’s existence, they feel it has not performed effectively, a sentiment that has persisted for two decades.
Globally, the UN enjoys a more favorable image, with a median approval of 50 % and a net score of +24. Southeast Asia and sub‑Saharan Africa give the strongest regional support, and in 67 countries the UN enjoys over 50 % approval. The next secretary‑general will inherit an organization with substantial public goodwill but marked regional divisions, according to Gallup analyst Julie Ray, who added that demonstrating the UN’s impact may be key where opinions remain unsettled.
