The Penguin Review
Abstract
The war between the state of Israel and the militant group Hamas is often portrayed in strictly strategic or material terms, from rockets and tunnels to ground offensives and massive casualties. Yet what truly lies at the core of the conflict in the Gaza Strip is not merely a struggle over territory or security, but a struggle of identities, narratives, and legacies of harm. From my constructivist standpoint, I believe that actors act not just because of “national interests,” but because of how they understand their own identity, how they interpret the other, and how normative structures shape their choices. Through the course of my paper, I will argue that the conduct of Israel in Gaza is not simply a policy failure or strategic misstep, but it is actually deeply rooted in identity constructions, legitimising domination under the guise of existential threat. My position is explicitly critical. I believe that Israel’s current policies amount to systemic oppression of the Palestinian people of Gaza, and that these must be understood not only materially, but theoretically.
Included in
American Studies Commons, History Commons, Political Science Commons