The ground operation sent citizens into a frenzy: the rally around the flag effect during operation protective edge

Abstract

This study examines the rally round the flag effect during Operation Protective Edge, a war between Israel and Palestinians. Research has demonstrated the mechanisms by which military crises escalate, and the public perceives the threat, which in turn leads to support for government leadership. Forming the basis of this theory is Social Identity Theory; however, in the context of international relations, there seems to be little research that examines the mechanism from which Social Identity Theory causes the rally to affect the minority group. This is probably because, in inter-state and inter-ethnic conflicts, there have been few opportunities to access research information on situations where there is a part of a hostile nation or ethnic group within one state. Public opinion polls were conducted repeatedly during Operation Protective Edge, and Arab Israelis were included in the target population for this poll. Subsequently, the mechanisms that determined the attitudes of Arab Israelis during this Israeli-Palestinian military conflict can be determined. This study adjusted for covariates by using an Interrupted Time-Series analysis to infer causality of the ground war rush on the rally effect.

Keywords

• arab-israeli conflict
• rally effect
• social identity theory
• interrupted time-series analysis