Abstract: This study seeks to examine the role of Israeli media discourse in the war on Gaza (2023-2024), along with its political and ideological objectives. It addresses the following complex question: What are the trends in Israeli media discourse regarding the war on Gaza, and how does it frame the events and their developments? What methods has this discourse used to promote the Israeli narrative and influence both the local (Israeli) audience and global public opinion? The war initiated by Israel against Gaza on 7 October 2023, is considered a significant event in the evolution of the Palestinian cause since the occupation of Palestine in 1948. Correspondingly, the Israeli media discourse has been exceptional in its verbal structure and function, extending beyond mere news reporting. This discourse has played a pivotal role in the war and its developments, becoming a crucial component of the military effort to achieve the war’s strategic objectives. The study employs critical discourse analysis to examine a purposive sample of media content from the Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel, covering the period from 8 October 2023 to 8 May 2024. The findings indicate that Israeli media has utilised ideological and historical rhetoric, promoting the narrative that frames the war as “self- defence against Palestinian terrorism” while advocating for the killing and extermination of Palestinians. The media has also employed selective reporting to support this narrative, adopted a justificatory perspective for the war and the genocide faced by Palestinians, and utilised exaggeration, evasion, psychological propaganda and avoidance of responsibility in its discourse about the war on Gaza. Keywords: Israeli Media Discourse, War on Gaza, Genocide, Palestinian Resistance, Hamas.
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter