The Formulation of Metaphors in the Political Discourse of Arab Politicians in the State of Israel

Abstract

Abstract:This article shows how Arab politicians in the State of Israel, in particular Arab members of the Israeli Parliament (Knesset), rely on Hebrew metaphor as an important rhetorical tool for conveying their message, with the goal of advancing their ideological positions and criticizing the policies of the Israeli government, which discriminates against and disenfranchises Arab-Israelis and the Palestinian people. This article is based on the hypothesis that the way that Arab politicians in the State of Israel use metaphor in their political discourse has unique rhetorical aspects that contribute to sharpening their message, as part of the larger goal of emphasizing the suffering of the Palestinian people and Arab-Israelis, and changing for the better the Israeli government's discriminatory patterns of action against them. The vast majority (98%) of metaphors examined in this article are Hebrew metaphors.