Hamas discourse measurably shifted from religious to nationalist vocabulary by 2012

Evidence

In her quantitative study on the decline of both religious language and elements in Hamas’s discourse in the later period between 2005 and 2112, Neven Bondokji (2014) presents concrete evidence. Bondokji examined a number of binary religious/ nationalist terms such as umma (with its religious connotations) versus shaʿb (people) with its nationalist connotations; Jews versus Israelis; and jihad versus resistance. Searching Hamas’s statements during those years, she concludes that the word shaʿb/people was used 282 times in selected communique´s in the year 2006 versus 40 times when umma was used. Shaʿb was used 77 times versus 5 instances of umma in 2012. Her research also indicated that during the same period, “Hamas discourse reveals an indifference to Israel’s Jewish identity.” — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 2433

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Hamas emptied traditional religious concepts and refilled them with revolutionary content — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 2430; Hamas nationalized while mainstream Zionism religionized in tandem, opposite directions.; Religion stayed marginal in mainstream Palestinian nationalism for four decades — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized:…, 2413 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Hamas nationalized while mainstream Zionism religionized in tandem, opposite directions. #corroborates (0.90)
• Palestinian religious parties nationalized while Zionist national parties religionized #expands (0.85) — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 2468
• Religious war rhetoric loses force and gives way to nationalism #corroborates (0.85) — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 1730
• Islamist identity is misread when reduced to Arab nationalist sentiment #complicates (0.80) — Peter Morey, Islamophobia and the Novel, 485
• Religion stayed marginal in mainstream Palestinian nationalism for four decades #qualifies (0.75) — Nadim N. Rouhana and Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, When Politics Are Sacralized, 2413