Language and Identity: a Rhetorical Analysis of Palestinian-Israeli Writers’ Language

Palestinian-Israeli literature is the literature of a minority that is in a state of political and cultural conflict with the Jewish majority. Thus, Palestinian literature has no clear-cut definition in Israel and is not considered part of the canon of Hebrew literature. To be considered legitimate by the Jewish majority, Palestinian-Israeli writers must disguise their political and cultural conflict with the majority culture and refrain from creating literature that is stereotyped or socially engaged. This article examines the rhetorical devices Palestinian-Israeli writers use to convey their emotions and attitudes toward the Jewish majority without expressing these overtly.