The myth of the Israel Defense Forces through the lens of critical rhetoric
The myth of the Israel Defense Forces through the lens of critical rhetoric

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this article is the rhetoric of media communication employed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), with the research material consisting of posts published on the IDF’s official Facebook profile. The analyzed posts span the period from October 7, 2023, to January 5, 2025. The rhetorical analysis of hasbara (the IDF’s propaganda) is grounded in Roland Barthes’ semiology and Michel Foucault’s discourse theory, as well as in the tradition of critical rhetoric within rhetorical studies. These methodological perspectives effectively capture the processes through which the representation of reality is mystified. In Barthes’ terms, this phenomenon can be understood as myth. Through the lens of critical rhetoric, this study examines not only the official narratives but also what has been deliberately omitted. It analyses the rhetorical devices that construct the myth of the IDF as a moral organization, including persuasion through ethos, character and euphemisms. Equally significant in the IDF’s process of mythologization and mystification is the exclusion of content that undermines the army’s moral virtues. Consequently, the analysis of the IDF’s communication considers both the rhetoric of official representations and vernacular rhetoric, as discourse derives meaning from strategies of inclusion and exclusion. This understanding of critical rhetorical inquiry aligns with Kenneth Burke’s assertion that rhetorical analysis should always be prepared to expose mystifications.

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