The Language of Perpetual War
When violence erupts in Gaza, the narrative reliably follows a well-worn script. The France 24 article states, 'Israeli strikes kill at least 24 in Gaza,' attributing it to 'Israeli airstrikes' and 'Israeli shelling.' This phrasing prioritizes the action and the actor (Israel) while depersonalizing the victims and omitting the broader context of an ongoing military occupation. CASE A: Gaza
Casualties (France 24, 2024) 'At least 24 Palestinians died in Israeli airstrikes and shelling…' and 'The Israeli military said its forces targeted 'terror infrastructure' and militants…' This framing contrasts sharply with how similar casualty events are often reported when the aggressor is deemed a geopolitical adversary or an 'illegitimate' actor. Consider the reporting on the 2022 Russian
invasion of Ukraine, for example. CASE B: Ukrainian Casualties (Associated Press, 2022) 'Russian forces have killed thousands of civilians across Ukraine, many during indiscriminate shelling of residential areas…' and 'Ukrainian officials reported that Russian missiles deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure…' The distinction is subtle but profound. In Case A, the deaths in Gaza are
passively 'in' strikes, and the Israeli military's self-justification ('terror infrastructure,' 'militants') is presented immediately and implicitly validated. In Case B, Russian actions are actively characterized as 'killing civilians,' 'indiscriminate,' and 'deliberately targeting' civilians, with Ukrainian officials' claims given strong credence. This linguistic double standard serves critical