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Rationalising extra-judicial executions: the Israeli press and the legitimisation of abuse

2004; Routledge; Volume: 8; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1364298042000255162

1744-053X

Neve Gordon,

Law in Society and Culture

Focusing on the representation of Israel's policy of extra-judicial executions, which is a blatant violation of human rights, this article discloses how Israel's three major newspapers, Yedioth Ahronoth, Ma'ariv, and Ha'aretz have helped produce, disseminate and reinforce both the rationality and the morality of executions. The article employs the insights of theorists like Michel Foucault and Hayden White to argue that the rationalisation of the execution policy is achieved through what may be described as the discursive production of a pseudo-judicial process. Its major thesis is that in their coverage of executions the Israeli newspapers create a narrative whose major goal is to exonerate the Israeli government from the accusation that it has committed an unlawful act.