US and Israeli narratives frame regional conflict through religious symbolism, obscuring geopolitical and economic interests
Original framing: “Why are the US and Israel framing the ongoing conflict as a religious war?” — Al Jazeera
The framing of the conflict as a religious war echoes historical patterns of colonialism and missionary conquest, where religious narratives were used to legitimize domination and resource extraction. This historical parallel is rarely acknowledged in contemporary reporting.
The framing of the conflict as a religious war serves to obscure the deeper systemic issues of colonialism, resource control, and geopolitical power.
Indigenous and marginalized perspectives reveal the violence of occupation and the erasure of local identities, while historical parallels show how religious narratives have been used to justify domination. Cross-cultural and artistic expressions challenge the dominant framing and offer alternative visions of peace. To move toward resolution, inclusive mediation, economic justice, and legal accountability must be prioritized. These solutions require a shift from symbolic narratives to structural change that addresses the root causes of conflict.