The Rhetoric of Mobilizational Discourse in the Speeches of Abu Obeida: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This study examines the rhetoric of mobilizational discourse in the speeches of Abu Obeida during the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle. It aims to reveal the most prominent rhetorical and argumentative features that contributed to constructing a mobilizational discourse with broad psychological and media influence. The study adopts the rhetorical analytical approach and discourse analysis method through analyzing selected speeches of Abu Obeida in order to identify the artistic and linguistic devices employed to influence the audience.

The study demonstrates that the speeches relied on a variety of rhetorical devices such as repetition, rhymed prose (sajʿ), simile, metaphor, and vocative expressions, in addition to Qur’anic intertextuality and religious references that reinforced the ideological dimension of the discourse and granted legitimacy to the resistance. The study also reveals the employment of linguistic rhythm and figurative imagery in stimulating emotions and consolidating the values of steadfastness and resilience, as well as constructing the binary opposition of “resistance/enemy” as a central element in the mobilizational discourse.

The study concludes that Abu Obeida’s speeches transcended the function of conventional military statements and evolved into an integrated media and rhetorical discourse combining military and psychological dimensions, thereby contributing to shaping collective awareness and strengthening mass influence within the context of contemporary conflict.