When the World Says No, Kenya and Nigeria Say Yes to Israel

As international opinion sours on Israel, Kenya and Nigeria emerge as rare bastions of pro-Zionist support.

A recently-published Pew Research Center polling paints a stark picture of negative global sentiment toward Israel in response to its military campaign in Gaza. In a survey of 24 countries conducted from January to April 2025, most respondents—spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America—expressed negative views of Israel and its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In 20 of these nations, around half or more of adults hold unfavorable opinions of Israel, with overwhelming majorities in Australia (74%), Greece (72%), Indonesia (80%), Japan (79%), the Netherlands (78%), Spain (75%), Sweden (75%), and Turkey (93%) expressing negative views. Even in the United States, historically a strong supporter, 53% now view Israel unfavorably, marking an 11-point increase since 2022.

Amid this global backlash, Kenya and Nigeria stand out as notable exceptions. In both countries, around half or more of the population views Israel positively—50% in Kenya and 59% in Nigeria—making them among the few places where Israel retains net favorable ratings. This divergence from the global anti-Israel norm is not accidental but reflects a convergence of security concerns and religious demographics.

Both Kenya and Nigeria face persistent Islamist insurgencies: Kenya contends with al-Shabaab, while Nigeria grapples with Boko Haram and affiliated groups. These insurgencies have resulted in significant violence against Christian communities and have heightened Christian-Muslim sectarian tensions. The rise of evangelical Christianity in this context has fostered a highly receptive climate for pro-Israel narratives, offering a new set of shabbos goyim that Israeli diplomacy can readily mobilize in the Jewish state’s campaign to justify its ethnic cleansing agenda and its geopolitical skullduggery abroad.

In Nigeria, evangelical Christians now number approximately 58 million, making it the world’s third-largest evangelical population after the United States and China. Pentecostal and evangelical churches have grown rapidly, with Pentecostals alone estimated to make up to 63% of Nigerian Christians. This growth is particularly notable in northern Nigeria, where despite ongoing persecution and violence, Christianity is expanding “astronomically,” according to local church leaders.

As for Kenya, evangelicals make up about 20% of the population—over 10 million people—and Pentecostals an estimated 30–35%. This demographic surge has been accompanied by a rise in evangelical influence in politics and society, with Kenya’s current President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Chebet Ruto both closely aligned with evangelical leaders.

This expansion of evangelical Christianity is fortuitous for Zionist activism. Evangelical theology often emphasizes biblical prophecy and support for the state of Israel, and evangelical leaders have become vocal advocates for Israel in both countries. Their influence extends into politics and public discourse, reinforcing pro-Israel narratives and shaping national policy.

As I have highlighted in previous articles, Israel is actively seeking new allies in the Global South as its traditional Western support base erodes. My earlier analysis of the emerging Hindu nationalist-Zionist alliance in India and Guatemala’s strange relationship with Israel underscores Israel’s strategy of cultivating relationships with countries where religious tensions or even high degrees of philosemitism can be leveraged for geopolitical gain. In Kenya and Nigeria, Israel can exploit the ongoing sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims—exacerbated by Islamist insurgencies—to forge alliances with their respective governments. Moreover, the significant presence of evangelical Christians in these countries makes pro-Zionist advocacy efforts much easier.
Israel’s outreach is not purely altruistic; it is a calculated effort to build reliable blocs of support at the United Nations and in international forums, where it finds itself increasingly isolated. By cynically positioning itself as a partner to Christian communities under threat, Israel secures diplomatic and security cooperation, while evangelical leaders frame this alignment as a spiritual and national imperative. This dynamic is evident in both Kenya and Nigeria, where evangelical growth and Islamist violence have created a unique environment for pro-Israel sentiment to flourish.

In a world of shifting loyalties, Africa’s evangelical boom and Islamist insurgencies are Israel’s unlikely lifeline. By aligning with Israel, Kenya and Nigeria have chosen complicity over global resistance.

History will not look kindly at these Uncle Toms of the House of Zion.