IDEOLOGICAL LENSES AND CONFLICT NARRATIVES: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF EDITORIAL NARRATIVES ON THE IRAN-ISRAEL CONFLICT IN HAARETZ, KAYHAN INTERNATIONAL, AND THE WALL STREET JOURNAL (2023–2025)

Abstract

A thematic analysis of editorial stories within three ideologically different newspapers, namely Haaretz (Israeli liberal), Kayhan International (Iranian state-oriented), and The Wall Street Journal (American conservative) on the topic of the Iran-Israel conflict is conducted for the time period from October 2023 to March 2025. The study employs the six-stage thematic analysis process outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) and counts the utilization of six most prevalent narrative themes within 677 editorials published by the mentioned media outlets. According to the results, there were fifteen themes found within the scope of three newspapers, which can be divided into five thematic clusters per newspaper. For instance, Haaretz consistently frames the conflict through the lens of the declining morals of Israelis and democratic principles within their country. On the other hand, Kayhan International represents Iran as the vanguard of the revolution, while both Israel and the US are regarded as aggressors within this framework. Finally, The Wall Street Journal depicts a scenario, when Israel becomes the victim of an attack on the side of democracy from Iran and its proxies. Overall, the outcomes of the study illustrate the importance of ideology as an overarching and dominating factor in narrative construction in the sphere of conflict reporting.