The Narrative of the ‘Persecuted People’ and the Israeli Public’s Response to the October 7 Terrorist Attack: A Social Movement Theory Analysis

ABSTRACT: There was an unprecedented mobilization by the Israeli public in support of the war effort following the October 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. Utilizing various definitions of social movements, the discussion explores the idea of characterizing this form of organization as a social movement. Employing tools from the cultural approach to social movements, the subsequent analysis focuses primarily on collective identity and emotions within social movements as key elements in understanding this movement. Based on an examination of coverage in the media and on social networks, it is argued that the Jewish narrative of the ‘persecuted people,’ which has had a dominant role in shaping the collective identity of ‘being an Israeli’, has also shaped the emotional response of Israelis to the atrocities. The sense of abandonment, fear, a desire for retribution, and most notably profound patriotism, coupled with chauvinistic nationalism, have collectively contributed to the massive recruitment of the public to the war effort.