Voiceless Citizens: Symbolic Annihilation, Media Distrust, and the Search for Belonging Among Palestinian Citizens of Israel
This article examines the relationship between media representation and media trust among a national minority in a conflict-ridden democracy. Focusing on Palestinian citizens of Israel, this qualitative study explores how perceptions of symbolic annihilation—persistent underrepresentation and negative stereotyping in mainstream media—shape affective and cognitive distrust. Based on 30 in-depth interviews conducted against the backdrop of the 2023–2024 Israel-Gaza war, the study shows that participants experience Israeli media not as neutral information sources, but as hostile institutions that reinforce structural marginalization. Findings reveal a spectrum of distrust, ranging from pragmatic skepticism to deep-seated cynicism, a fractured sense of national belonging, and counter-hegemonic media practices that affirm identity and agency. The study contributes theoretically by reconceptualizing minority media distrust as an identity-based, socially and structurally embedded phenomenon, expanding understanding of the affective and cognitive dimensions of media engagement by comparing these dynamics to other marginalized groups globally (e.g., communities of color in the United States). Implications extend to social cohesion, democratic participation, and the role of media in divided societies navigating active national conflicts.
Katz, N., & Berenson, A. (2026). Voiceless Citizens: Symbolic Annihilation, Media Distrust, and the Search for Belonging Among Palestinian Citizens of Israel. International Journal of Communication, 20, 1991–2011. https://doi.org/10.65476/cjkavs77