Since the end of the 20th century, the international system has witnessed what several scholars describe as the "return of the sacred to the public sphere"—a shift that challenges the classical assumptions of modernization theories, which predicted the decline of religion in modern politics. Numerous studies have demonstrated that modernity has not led to the disappearance of religion so much as it has reshaped its presence within the domains of politics, culture, and international relations.
From the onset of the genocidal war in Gaza in 2023 to the current war with Iran in 2026, sacred narratives have become fundamental materials for constructing national identity and justifying strategic policies. For instance, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation reported that over 200 U.S. soldiers filed complaints regarding certain military commanders using extremist Christian rhetoric to justify the war on Iran. These commanders framed the conflict as part of a "divine plan" and the end of the world (Armageddon) as depicted in the Book of Revelation. One non-commissioned officer explained that his superior encouraged troops to adopt this vision, citing the final battle between good and evil and the Second Coming of Christ.
The Israeli case serves as a prominent example of this intersection between religion and modern nationalism. Recent decades have seen a marked rise in the influence of Religious Zionism within the political and military infrastructure, following decades of dominance by the secular Zionism of the founders. Thus, biblical narratives and founding myths have become essential in shaping Israeli political and military doctrine, performing a political and ideological function by generating legitimacy for violence and reframing the conflict as an existential struggle.
This phenomenon can be analyzed within a broader concept that may be termed "Engineering Consent for Genocide," where the cultural narrative precedes the use of military force. It works to prepare the collective consciousness—both domestically and internationally—to accept unprecedented levels of violence. Within this framework, the blood of civilians, particularly children, is not allowed to become an ethical obstacle to military objectives. Instead, it is integrated into a discursive structure that justifies violence, transforming it into an existential necessity and rendering the killing of children a "virtuous" act rather than a source of moral anguish.
Consequently, the restoration and repetition of biblical myths in current Israeli political discourse contribute to redefining the enemy and justifying the use of excessive force, effectively dehumanizing Lebanese, Palestinians, Arabs, and Iranians.
The Myth of Masada
The story of "Masada" is one of the most prominent founding myths in the Israeli national imagination. The narrative recounts that a group of Jews besieged in the Masada fortress during the Jewish revolt against the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD preferred mass suicide over surrender.
This story has become a central symbol of steadfastness and an absolute rejection of defeat. It has been employed in Israeli national discourse, becoming part of the symbolic rituals associated with the IDF, including holding swearing-in ceremonies for certain military units at the site. Thus, this myth serves a dual function: it bolsters internal cohesion while simultaneously entrenching a perception of the conflict as a permanent existential siege.
The Myth of Amalek
In the biblical narrative, the character of "Amalek" serves as the "absolute enemy" who must be completely eradicated. In certain radical religious interpretations, Amalek is presented as the embodiment of inherent evil that cannot be reformed or coexist with.
When this symbol is invoked in political or religious discourse, the contemporary enemy is transformed into a modern incarnation of this mythical evil. In this case, children and civilians are not viewed as independent individuals whom it is ethically or legally impermissible to kill, but rather as parts of a "hostile entity" that may pose a future threat.
This mythical structure helps create psychological immunity in the combatant. Violence becomes justified as a preemptive defense against a potential existential danger, and the killing of children becomes permissible after stripping the "enemy" of their humanity, allowing for the killing of individuals, their families, and children, and the destruction of all they possess.
The process of building legitimacy for violence among the Israeli public is not limited to religious or military discourse but extends to the cultural and media spheres. Studies indicate that some Israeli cinematic and television works exported globally tend to portray the Israeli soldier as a figure suffering from a moral struggle during military operations. This narrative pattern shifts the focus from the victim to the psychological experience of the perpetrator, contributing to the reframing of violence as a complex "moral tragedy."
Conclusion
Ultimately, this intersection between religious ideology and geopolitical reality reveals that the "sacred" is no longer a mere invocation of the past or a belief in the metaphysical. Rather, it is an active tool in the engineering of modern conflicts. Myths are transformed into military doctrines that grant violence absolute legitimacy, making the "dehumanization" of the other a central pillar in contemporary strategies of survival and international hegemony.
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