The Rise of Theopolitical Discourse: Sacred Narratives and Israeli Strategies of Destruction against Palestinians

This article examines Israel’s policies toward Palestinians following Operation al-Aqsa Flood, within a conceptual framework that emphasizes processes of othering, destruction, and purification. Since the onset of the conflict, tens of thousands of Palestinians have lost their lives, and essential infrastructure has been systematically targeted. The analysis argues that conventional concepts of international relations, such as conflict, crisis, or war, are insufficient to fully explain the underlying logic of Israeli policies. Instead, it proposes that these policies should be examined through a theopolitical lens that highlights the interplay between political narratives, religious doctrines, and practices of violence. Specifically, the study focuses on two foundational doctrines in the Jewish tradition: the concept of chosenness and the Promised Land. These doctrines have been mobilized in political discourse as instruments for legitimizing exclusion and the construction of Palestinians as the “other.”