The Role of Religious Texts in Strategic Discourse
In recent years, the rhetoric surrounding Israel's security strategies has seen a notable integration of religious references, particularly from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During a conference in West Jerusalem, Netanyahu articulated a shift in security doctrine, emphasizing pre-emptive action. He invoked an ancient Hebrew legal principle, translated as, “If someone comes to kill you, rise and kill him first,” simplifying it further to “Kill them first.” This statement suggests a strategic approach where Israel initiates action to neutralize perceived threats before they materialize, a concept reminiscent of the nation's strategy during the 1967 conflict with its Arab neighbors.
Historically, military discourse concerning Israeli conflicts has largely avoided framing them as existential holy wars, likely to avert international criticism. However, this trend appears to be shifting. During International Court of Justice proceedings in January 2024, South African lawyer Tembeka Ngcukaitobi highlighted Netanyahu's directive to Israeli troops at the outset of the conflict in Gaza: “remember what Amalek has done to you.” Ngcukaitobi explained that this biblical reference, which commands the retaliatory destruction of an entire group, was presented as evidence of genocidal intent in Gaza, where a significant number of Palestinians have been killed since October 2023. This interpretation has been echoed by other experts who also characterize the conflict as a potential genocide. Consequently, in January 2026, the Arab Organisation for Human Rights UK formally requested the United Kingdom to impose financial and travel sanctions on Netanyahu, citing this particular comment.
Dehumanization and Religious Justification
Beyond the Prime Minister, other Israeli officials have employed similar language. Former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, when announcing a comprehensive siege on Gaza—encompassing restrictions on power, food, and fuel—referred to the adversaries as “human animals.” While not explicitly a religious reference, this terminology contributes to a broader pattern of dehumanizing language used against Palestinians by Israeli leaders.
The influence of religious figures on military actions is not new. In 2004, Rabbi Avraham Shapira, a prominent religious leader, issued an edict to soldiers, warning that the dismantling of illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza would constitute a grave sin, comparable to consuming forbidden food. This illustrates how religious authority can be leveraged to influence military conduct and policy.
The integration of religious discourse into wartime rhetoric has historical roots in Israel, dating back to the 1948 Nakba, when a substantial number of Palestinians were displaced. Even David Ben-Gurion, Israel's first prime minister, despite being a self-proclaimed “secular Zionist,” utilized more biblical and rabbinic references in his wartime speeches than Netanyahu, according to a 2025 study by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI). The Bible has also been used to justify the occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, among other Israeli politicians, asserts a biblical entitlement for settlers to the occupied West Bank, referring to it by its biblical names, Judea and Samaria. The Israeli government has recently allocated substantial funds within a $271 billion budget to further entrench the occupation of the West Bank, where approximately 700,000 settlers reside. This policy is unfolding amidst a surge of violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, with over 3,700 reported attacks over the past two years.
The Geopolitical vs. Theological Debate
Ibrahim Abusharif, an associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, observes that framing the conflict through biblical imagery transforms complex geopolitical issues into a moral drama. He states, “The war itself is not theological. It is geopolitical. But the language surrounding it increasingly draws on sacred imagery and civilisational narratives.” This political rhetoric has tangible consequences on the ground, exemplified by figures like Rabbi Avraham Zarbiv, an Israeli army reservist and rabbinical judge. Zarbiv has been involved in the demolition of homes in Gaza and southern Lebanon. In January 2025, he publicly boasted on Israeli television about the destruction in Gaza, noting that tens of thousands of displaced Palestinian families were left without homes. The Hind Rajab Foundation has since filed a war crimes complaint against him at the International Criminal Court for his alleged participation in the destruction of Palestinian neighborhoods. Despite these accusations, Transport Minister Miri Regev selected Zarbiv to light a torch at the nation’s Independence Day ceremony. The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem condemned this as a state-level endorsement of the systematic destruction of Palestinian life, interpreting it as a message that “genocide, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes are the ‘spirit of the nation’.”
