Framing Threats and Justifying Actions

This study uses multilayered theoretical frameworks, including Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), Speech Act Theory, and Propaganda Theory, to examine how the rhetorical and linguistic strategies used by Avichai Adraee in Arabic-language Facebook posts shape public opinion and justify Israel’s military actions. Using a qualitative approach,109 posts were collected from Adraee’s official Facebook page between September and November 2024. The findings show that Adraee's posts are not randomly constructed or shared; rather, they achieve systematic and strategic objectives. The analysis asserts that sharing these posts aims to depict Israel as a moral actor and peacekeeper while downplaying its adversaries’ actions. The findings show that Adraee frequently uses accusation speech acts to delegitimize adversaries, labeling them as terrorists, threats, and sources of instability. Furthermore, Adraee linked Hamas and Hezbollah to Iran, amplifying the perception of external threats. This study concludes that Adraee's posts are crucial digital diplomacy tools that use language to justify Israeli military actions and shape both national and international audiences. It recommends further research on digital media literacy in conflict zones and suggests expanding the analysis to include visual rhetoric

Digital media · Diplomacy · Discourse analysis · False accusation · Perception · Qualitative analysis · Rhetoric · Rhetorical question · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

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