Two years after the 7 October 2023 attacks, Israeli museum directors report feeling isolated from the international art world. Tania Coen-Uzzielli, director of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, says most international collaborations were put on hold, delayed, or cancelled. The Tel Aviv-Yafo City Museum, which opened just after the attacks, shifted to documenting wartime reality and supporting artists, but has received no direct support from international colleagues. The National Library of Israel repeatedly deinstalled and secured its collections during Iranian missile attacks in 2024 and 2025, reopening when safe.
This isolation matters because it reveals a deep rift between Israeli cultural institutions and the global art community, which has largely remained silent or critical since the war began. The directors emphasize their museums' civic roles—showing Arab artists, speaking Arabic, documenting trauma, and maintaining democratic values—while feeling misunderstood by both the Israeli right and the international left. The situation highlights how geopolitical conflict can sever cultural ties and challenge museums' missions to be spaces of dialogue and resilience.