Pragmatic Strategies in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Comparative Analysis of Arab and Western Political Discourse on Identity, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution

Subject Areas :

Rafka Hasan Kareem ¹ , Elahe Sadeghi Barzani ² , salih Mahdi Adai Al-Mamoory ³ , Ehsan Rezvani ⁴

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Received: 2024-07-26 Accepted : 2024-10-15 Published : 2025-09-14

Keywords: Pragmatic Strategies, Political Discourse, Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Arab Politicians, Western Politicians, Identity Rhetoric, Conflict Resolution, Strategic Maneuvering,

Abstract :

This research provides an exploration of the dominant pragmatic strategies employed by Arab and Western politicians in their strategic maneuvering discourse on the Israeli-Palestinian con-flict. Through a detailed analysis of political speeches and public statements, the study identifies key rhetorical strategies that each group uses to influence their audiences and advance their re-spective agendas. Arab politicians frequently deploy emotional appeals, collective identity ref-erences, and strong moral condemnations aimed at Israel, resonating deeply with domestic and regional audiences. In contrast, Western politicians emphasize diplomacy, legality, and a bal-anced approach, reflecting their need to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics and maintain alliances on both sides of the conflict. The study compares the usage of these strategies between Arab and Western politicians, highlighting significant differences that stem from cultural, histor-ical, and political contexts. For Arab politicians, the conflict is often framed in existential and emotional terms, while Western politicians tend to focus on security, stability, and legal frame-works, portraying themselves as neutral arbiters. The findings of this research suggest that while identity-based appeals by Arab politicians consolidate domestic support, they may entrench po-larized narratives that hinder constructive dialogue. Meanwhile, the Western emphasis on di-plomacy and legality can enhance credibility in international forums but may fail to address power imbalances, potentially perpetuating the status quo. These findings contribute to a broad-er understanding of political communication by demonstrating how language is strategically used to shape public opinion, reinforce narratives, and influence policy.

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