"My Country": Two Clues Revealed What Netanyahu's Speech Was Really Aimed At | Dr. Liraz Margalit

An analysis of Netanyahu's UN speech identifies two clues to a shift in his internal state: repeated use of the word "my" as a sign of threatened psychological ownership, and a shift to sarcasm as a concession of the persuasion stage. The author argues that Netanyahu has come to terms with a shrinking circle of people who can still be persuaded.

Dr. Liraz Margalit analyzes Netanyahu's UN speech and identifies two clues to a shift in his internal state. The first clue is the repeated use of the word "my" — "my country," "my people," "our city" — signaling threatened psychological ownership. The author explains that the more a person invests their identity in something, they experience it as part of themselves, and when that thing is threatened, they mark ownership and defend it. The second clue is the shift to sarcasm, unusual in Netanyahu's rhetoric, which is associated with strength, hope, and victory. The author argues that sarcasm appears after giving up on the persuasion stage, and indicates that Netanyahu has come to terms with a shrinking circle of people who can still be persuaded, both abroad and at home.