Global Peace Index Shows 12th Straight Decline as Iceland Stays No. 1 and Israel Falls to 159th
Updated
Updated · Ynetnews · Jun 10
Global Peace Index Shows 12th Straight Decline as Iceland Stays No. 1 and Israel Falls to 159th
3 articles · Updated · Ynetnews · Jun 10
Summary
Iceland held the top spot for a 19th straight year in the 2026 Global Peace Index, while Israel ranked 159th out of 163 countries and Russia placed last.
The Institute for Economics and Peace said the world became less peaceful for a 12th consecutive year, with the index tracking 23 indicators across safety, conflict and militarization.
New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia and Ireland rounded out the top five; Poland posted one of the biggest gains, jumping 23 places to No. 22.
The United States fell to No. 134—its lowest ranking yet in related reports—with the decline tied partly to political instability and violent demonstrations.
Western and Central Europe remained the most peaceful regions overall, though the report stressed the ranking is a national stability gauge, not a substitute for travel advisories.
With global powers fragmenting and military spending soaring, are we entering an era of permanent, interconnected conflict?
Will AI's insatiable energy demand create a new resource crisis, undermining the very progress it promises?
As AI makes battlefield decisions in seconds, is humanity losing its moral authority over war itself?
Global Peace Index 2026: Unprecedented Decline, Rising Conflict, and the Urgent Need for a New Global Security Strategy
Overview
The Global Peace Index 2026 reveals an unprecedented decline in global peacefulness, with heightened conflict and reduced tranquility worldwide. This troubling trend is driven by deep-rooted systemic issues, especially a major imbalance in how the world addresses conflict and peace. Despite some growth, investment in peacebuilding and peacekeeping remains extremely low compared to massive military spending—just 0.5% of total military expenditure in 2025. As a result, global strategies continue to focus on military solutions and violence containment, taking a reactive rather than preventive approach to instability. This underinvestment in peace is a key reason for the worsening global security situation.