Ariel Sharon Biography, Produced by the Israeli Ivlinistry for Foreign Affairs, with Annotations by the Electronic Intifada
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The copyright of this thesis vests in the author. No quotation from it or information derived from it is to be published without full acknowledgementTown of the source. The thesis is to be used for private study or non- commercial research purposes only. Cape Published by the University ofof Cape Town (UCT) in terms of the non-exclusive license granted to UCT by the author. University J ustificational Narratives: What is the role of fear in Israeli narratives of war? El Inocente stood before the table and gestured for silence. He preached a long sermon, of which I cannot recall a single word, but I can tell you that it was full of vileness, decorated and embellished to the point where one might almost believe that it was a nobleTown speech.'l Cape of By Sasha Evans, EVNSASOOl Supervised by Professor Kay McCormick UniversityMay 2004, UCf. 1 De Bernieres, 1998. P3 2 1. Justificational Narratives: What is the role of fear in Israeli narratives of war? By Sasha Evans, May 2004 Abstract The body of this thesis contains two main parts. The first (section 3) is a critical linguistic analysis of a selection of political speeches (which I have called 'policy narratives') delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in the period February 2002 - October 2003. I have sought, with reference to Aristotle and other writers on persuasion, to delineate the rhetorical devices employed by Sharon and his speechwriters, and to demonstrate that one of their most important functions is to contribute to and enhance the overall climate of fear among the Israeli people, for the furtherance of Sharon's own political goals. I focus primarily on the speeches surrounding and leading up to the March 2002 announcement of 'Operation Defensive Shield', which was described by Palestinians and international aid workers as the harshest military assault on the WBGS since the June 1967 Arab-Israeli war. After examining the policy narratives I provide another representation of the 'reality on the ground' experienced by the Palestinian population at the receiving end of Sharon's 'operations'. The second (section 4) is a linguistic analysis of the 'narrative of personal experience' of a civilian reservist - Moshe Nissim - who was recruited in April 2002, at the height of 'Defensive Shield', to drive a D-9 bulldozer throughTown the West Bank's Jenin refugee camp. Nissim, who seems motivated by his own personal fears and failures, apparently sees in Jenin the long-awaited opportunity to redeem himself. Although he does not appear to have been inspired by the arguments and themes of Sharon's narratives, the overall atmosphere of fear and hatred that is legitimised and given weight by Sharon in his speeches, sets the stage for Nissim to act on his darkest urges and later to be considered by himself and othersCape as a hero for having done so. I contend that Israeli right wing hegemonyof both feeds and is fed by fear. University Acknowledgements This thesis is dedicated to the memory of Professor Edward W Said, who passed away on 25 September 2003 ... ... and to Yasmeen, who was born the same year. Thanks to Kay for her patience and help; to Anis for so many long and interesting conversations, and to Goolam, for rescuing my work from a corruptedTown hard-drive! Cape of University Table of Contents 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Why Analyse Policy Narratives? ............................................................................................................ 3 1.2. The Mythology Of The Mythologist ....................................................................................................... 3 1.3. Propaganda In Nation-Building And War .............................................................................................. 6 IA. The Ideological Pill ................................................................................................................................. 9 1.5. Tenninology .......................................................................................................................................... 11 2. Methodology And Literature Review ........................................................................................ 13 2. J. Methodology ..................................................................................... ,., ................................................. 13 2.2. Analytical Approaches To Policy Narratives ............................................................ ................. 14 2.3. Policy Narr<1tives. pf()r;]~Zlncla And Democracy................. .. 16 2.4. Truth And M:th III TJ,\.· PUNlit OrPowcr................... .. 17 2.S. The Modes Of Persuasion In Political Rhetoric ..................... .. ........ 18 3. Ariel Sharon's Policy Narratives .............................................................................................. 20 ( 3.1. The Modes Of Persuasion In Sharon's Policy Narratives ..................................................................... 22 -'~ ......., The Source ...................................... ,..................... ,, ....................................... ,....................................... 25 .., .., -'.-'. The Message .......................................................................................................................... , ............... 31 3.4. Emotion ...... " ............. ,................ , ...................... , ................................. , .................... ,.................. ,......... 49 3.5. The Policy Narrated ...................................... ,...... ,., ............................................................... , ............ , .. 54 4. Narrative of Personal Experience: Moshe Nissim ................................................................... 62 4 l. Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 63 4.2. Fear And Insecurity ............................................................................................................................... 71 4.3. Justifications ..........................................................................................................................................Town 77 4A. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 85 5. Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 86 6. Bibliography And References ...................................................................................................Cape 90 7. Annexes...................................................... of................................................................................ 93 Table of Figures Fig. :3-1. The Modes of Persuasion in Sharon's Policy Narratives 22 Fig. 3.1.1. Ariel Sharon Addresses the Nation, 31 March 2002. 26 Fig. 3.2.2. Sharon and Bush, 14 April 2004 27 Fig. 3.2.1. Contextual Framing 33 Fig. 3.2.2.3. Modes ofUniversity Judgement (Martin & Rose) 41 Fig. 3.2.2.3b. Modes of Judgement in Sharon 08-04-02 §22 43 Fig. 3.2.2-4. Judgements in Sharon 08-04-02 §4-§5 45 Fig. 3.5.3. Two Images of Jenin Refugee Camp After the Incursion 58 Fig. 4. "I left them with a football stadium. so they can play" 62 Fig 4.1.1. Moshe in Jenin Narratiw Structure (linear) 66 4·1.2. Moshe's Narratiye Structure (circular) 69 Fig. 4.2.1. Appraisal Breakdown of Moshe §24 74 .11Istljiwtional.Varrativcs Introductiull 1. Introduction This thesis approaches the question what is the role of fear in Israeli narrath'es of war? - hy analysing two forms of war narratives: political and personal. The political narratives are a selection of speeches and one article delivered by the current prime minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, in the period February 2002 - October 2003,1 I \'Vill be examining some of the persuasive and mythmaking techniques they exemplify in their production and presentation of a particular ideological \ision. Neither the vision nor the themes identified here are limited to this period, or to Sharon, but political ideologies are most focused and therefore easily identifiable at times of heightened conflict and of politically far-right leadership, both of \\'hich are fulfilled at this tinh'. The analysis also refers more hroadly to the polici,':-> I !lese speeches seek to legitimise, and to their effects on the physical and emotional reality of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories,2 I contend that policy narratives such as these are generated by and for the Israeli (and American:l ) domination of the Palestinian people and their environment, and that these purposes, and the means of achieving them, can be clearly identified from the texts. The term 'policy narratives' is defined by Roe as "the stories - scenarios and arguments - that are taken ... as underwriting (that is, establishing or certifying) and stabilising (that is, fixing or making steady) the assumptions for policymakingTown in the face of the issue's uncertainty, complexity or polarisation."4 For the sake of this discussion I use the term specifically to mean the "stories, scenarios and arguments" narrated by the current Israeli prime minister, which are replicated throughout society but in particular by the spokespeople of the Israeli army (IDF), that