Dehumanisation: A Psychological Weapon to Genocide
In this article, we speak about dehumanisation, and how in the past and present it is used as a psychological tool to vilify and eradicate a whole state.
What is dehumanisation?
Bandura (1999) is a social and cognitive psychologist, he suggested that dehumanisation is a psychological process by which individuals or groups are seen as less than human (Bandura, 1999). This mechanism allows perpetrators to morally disengage, rationalise violence, and facilitate mass atrocities and aggression. It has been a central feature in historical genocides and continues to play a prominent role in the current plausible genocide (Garland and Muller, 2024) taking place in Gaza by Israel.
“Rats”, “Cockroaches”
The Nazis, during the Holocaust described the Jews as "rats" and "parasites," framing them as threats to societal hygiene (Koonz, 2003). In the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, Tutsi people were referred to as "cockroaches" by Hutu extremists in radio broadcasts (Thompson, 2007). Such languages took away human qualities from the victims, allowing the perpetrators to ease the psychological burden of mass killing and justifying policies of extermination to the public.
Dehumanising language from prominent Israeli figures
A very similar practice of dehumanising language has been seen from the Israeli officials about the Palestinians. Over many years, various Israeli political figures and commentators have utilised languages that highlight Palestinians as subhuman (less than) or inherently violent beings.
For example:
Menachem Begin (former Prime Minister) referred to Palestinians as "beasts walking on two legs" (The New Statesman, 1982).
Rafael Eitan (former IDF Chief of Staff) described Arabs as "drugged cockroaches in a bottle" (The Guardian, 1983).
Ayelet Shaked (former Justice Minister) shared a Facebook post in 2014 labelling Palestinian children as "little snakes," stating that their mothers should be killed to prevent future generations of resistance (Eglash, 2014).
Itamar Ben Gvir (current National Security Minister) stated that his family's right to travel outweighed Palestinian rights and expressed admiration for Baruch Goldstein, the perpetrator of the 1994 Hebron massacre (Beaumont, 2023).
Yoav Gallant (Defence Minister) described Palestinians in Gaza as “human animals” in October 2023 while announcing a total siege on the enclave (Beaumont, 2023).
Benjamin Netanyahu (Current Prime Minister) cited the biblical Amalek story during a military campaign in 2023, saying, “You must remember what Amalek has done to you,” a phrase historically associated with divine orders to annihilate (Middle East Eye, 2023).
This type of dehumanising language has not only helped to justify the military operations in Gaza and the West Bank, but has also influenced the public's perception, desensitising many to civilian suffering. When populations are repeatedly told that the other group poses an existential threat or is inherently violent, empathy diminishes, and the threshold for tolerating violence increases. In the case of Gaza, the use of such language may have contributed to widespread public and political support within Israel for policies that include siege, bombing campaigns, and denial of humanitarian aid.
llan Pappé- dehumanisation influenced the Israeli public opinion
Israeli-Jewish historian Ilan Pappé, offers a robust analysis of how such dehumanisation has been embedded within Israeli political and cultural discourse. In one of his book, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine (2006), Pappé details how Palestinian communities were deliberately portrayed as demographic threats during the formation of the Israeli state in 1948. These portrayals helped justify the expulsion of approximately 750,000 Palestinians through a narrative that depicted them as obstacles rather than people with legitimate rights and homes.
Pappé (2009) extends this argument in his article “Israel’s Message: Gaza,” where he notes that the Israeli public has become desensitised to Palestinian suffering due to the persistent framing of Palestinians as inherently violent or irrational. This narrative, according to Pappé, contributes to the normalisation of military aggression and collective punishment. In his public talks, such as “Why Palestine Is Still the Issue” (2016), Pappé underscores how the colonial framework continues to influence Israeli policies and public attitudes, reducing Palestinians to a demographic issue rather than acknowledging their humanity and political agency.
In a 2025 interview with Cadena SER, Pappé reiterated that the root of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict lies in colonial domination and that the Western narrative often erases or diminishes the structural dehumanisation that underpins ongoing Israeli policy in Gaza and the West Bank. His work serves as a vital reminder of how deeply entrenched narratives can devalue human life and provide the ideological scaffolding for systematic injustice.
1948 to Now
From the 1948 Nakba to current day Gaza siege, the types of dehumanising language has remained consistent. Zionist leaders in the early years of Israel's establishment often depicted Palestinians as primitive or backward to justify their displacement. Historian Nur Masalha (1997), stated how terms such as “desert dwellers” or “invaders” were utilised to delegitimise Palestinians connection to the land. Over the past 60 years, such language has merged to fit the political needs. Palestinians have been portrayed many times as terrorists, a demographic threat, or part of a "death cult" (Pappé, 2006; Finkelstein, 2005). This has facilitated a policy approach around securitisation rather than human rights.
Conclusion
Dehumanisation remains a powerful tool in justifying collective punishment. By examining previous genocides and the language used in the current treatment of the Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, it becomes very apparent that psychological mechanisms such as dehumanisation are not of the past. They are currently active in modern times, perpetuate occupation, and are often used as a tool to justify a genocide.
References
Bandura, A. (1999). Moral disengagement in the perpetration of inhumanities. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 3(3), 193–209.
Beaumont, P. (2023). Israeli defence minister says Gaza siege will not end until Hamas is destroyed. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/09/israel-orders-complete-siege-of-gaza-strip
Eglash, R. (2014). Israeli lawmaker’s Facebook post: Palestinian children are ‘little snakes’. Haaretz. https://www.haaretz.com
Finkelstein, N. (2005). Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History. University of California Press.
Galand, A. S., & Muller, W. (2024). The ICJ’s findings on plausible genocide in Gaza and its implications for the International Criminal Court. Opinio Juris. https://opiniojuris.org/2024/04/05/the-icjs-findings-on-plausible-genocide-in-gaza-and-its-implications-for-the-international-criminal-court/
Koonz, C. (2003). The Nazi Conscience. Harvard University Press.
Masalha, N. (1997). A Land Without a People: Israel, Transfer and the Palestinians, 1949–96. Faber & Faber.
Middle East Eye. (2023). Netanyahu invokes Amalek in speech on Gaza assault. Middle East Eye. https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/netanyahu-invokes-genocidal-biblical-quote
Pappé, I. (2006). The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Oneworld Publications.
Pappé, I. (2009). Israel’s message: Gaza. The Electronic Intifada. https://electronicintifada.net/content/israels-message-gaza/7916
Pappé, I. (2016). Why Palestine is still the issue. Lecture, London School of Economics.
Thompson, A. (2007). The Media and the Rwanda Genocide. Pluto Press.
The New Statesman. (1982, June 25). Menachem Begin quote. The New Statesman.
The Guardian. (1983). Rafael Eitan and the cockroach metaphor. The Guardian.