Tehran – The temporary end to total war through a ceasefire provides an opportunity to assess its deeper impact, especially in the realm of culture and discourse formation. The recent Gaza war, despite its horrific human devastation and the martyrdom of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians, has produced important results in building and strengthening the discourse of resistance against the occupation and the policies of the Zionist regime on a global scale.
In this regard, ten major cultural and discursive products can be identified.
1. Breaking the hegemony of narrative
The biggest outcome of the Gaza war has been the gradual erosion of mainstream media’s monopoly on defining the “reality” of the conflict. Social media platforms and local journalists, especially those in Gaza, have been able to present a raw, unfiltered picture of the reality on the ground that directly contradicts the official claims of the other side. This widened the trust gap between Western publics and mainstream media.
2. Globalize the Palestinian cause and raise awareness among young people
The tenacity and resilience of the resistance front transformed the Palestinian issue from a “regional conflict” to a “global cause.” Younger generations in the West and other parts of the world, using modern communication tools and social media, have come to see Palestine not just as a political issue, but as a civilizational and human rights challenge. The widespread pro-Palestinian movements in universities and city squares are a concrete expression of this discursive shift.
3. Exposing the true nature of organized violence
This war completely dismantled the conventional perception of a “normal conflict.” The deliberate targeting of critical infrastructure, hospitals, and schools projected an image to the world of a militarized, unconventional state rather than a victim of terrorism. In clearer terms, the systematic and persistent nature of Zionist violence against Palestinians has become vividly visible and globally understood.
4. Revival of the discourse of “legitimate resistance” to “occupation”
After years of Western efforts to label resistance movements as “terrorism” through the influence of mainstream media, the resistance narrative has regained legitimacy. This time, resistance was framed not only as a natural reaction but also as an inherent right of people living under occupation, fully consistent with international law.
5. Creating cultural solidarity among movements for justice
The Gaza war became the focus of a global “justice movement” that strengthened cultural and discursive ties between various anti-imperialist and freedom-seeking groups around the world. This solidarity is expressed in slogans such as “From Gaza to everywhere – freedom!” The Gaza resistance has become a common bond linking liberation movements across five continents, and this trend is likely to continue in the post-war period.
6. Intensifying conflict with the regime due to sanctions and boycotts
The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement has reached unprecedented levels of influence within academic, cultural, and commercial institutions. This demonstrated that the “soft power of resistance” can produce tangible results through social pressure and pose real challenges to supporters of the Zionist regime on the world stage.
7. Legal liability under international law
Judicial proceedings in institutions such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) have transformed the Palestinian issue from a purely political issue to an international litigation. In the long run, this will hold the Zionist regime accountable within the framework it has long sought to avoid.
8. The emergence of “moral shame” among Western elites
Despite official political support for the regime, there was a growing sense of “moral shame” among intellectuals, artists, and even government officials in countries that supported Israel. The internal divisions in the Western world represent the outcome of an important debate that weakens the cohesion of status quo alliances in the United States and Europe.
9. Strengthening Islamic unity around the Palestinian cause
Despite regional differences, recent events have revived and amplified the collective voice of the Muslim world in support of Palestine as the central cause of the Islamic Ummah. At the grassroots level, this solidarity challenges the divisive discourse that has long been promoted between regional states.
10. Growing popular resistance to normalization
One of the main goals of the Zionist regime in recent years has been the normalization of relations with Arab countries. This war conclusively proved that as long as the core Palestinian issue remains unresolved, any attempt at normalization will be rejected and condemned by public opinion in Islamic countries.
(Mohammad Mehdi Imanipour is the Chairman of the Islamic Cultural Communication Organization)