From ‘Warrior’ to ‘Mama’s Boy’? The Israeli Soldier in the Press

Abstract

The image of the Israeli soldier has transmuted over time. This is particularly true when examining this image in Israeli media. As media reflects social changes, understanding the development of the image of the Israeli soldier in Israeli media may be indicative of wider transformations. 

During the First Lebanon War (1980s), the Israeli soldier was identified chiefly as a tough, adult, masculine figure; a warrior. In the 1990s, we find gradual transformation to a more vulnerable image: a scared, fragile boy, who turns to his mother at times to intervene on his behalf. Conversely, during the first decade of the twenty-first century, the framing of the Israeli soldier in local media becomes more complex, with both images present in the media. However, despite the fact that both images appear, during this final period the ‘warrior’ image receives more visibility. 

Using theoretical literature from the fields of communications and civilmilitary- media relations, and covering two major Israeli news publications – Yedioth Ahronoth and Ha’aretz, we trace the image of the Israeli soldier during three decades beginning with the First Lebanon War (1982) and culminating with Operation Cast Lead (2008-9). Methodology included content analysis and data analysis, with content analysis serving as the basis for research and data analysis supporting claims and substantiating our hypothesis.