First Israeli PM Ben-Gurion cited Bible more than PM Netanyahu in wartime speeches, study finds

A new study has found that Israel’s founding prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, used the Bible and Jewish historical references more frequently in his wartime speeches than current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The study – conducted by Dr. Gila Amatai and Shlomi Breznick of the Glazer Center at the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) – analyzed 33 of Ben-Gurion’s speeches from the 1948–49 War of Independence and compared them to Netanyahu’s addresses during the ongoing Gaza war following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

According to the findings, Ben-Gurion made, on average, 20% more biblical references than Netanyahu in his wartime speeches. While Netanyahu has emphasized historical continuity, the study found that Ben-Gurion referred to key Jewish historical figures more frequently. In contrast, Netanyahu reportedly makes more references to personal religious faith.

The results may come as a surprise to some, given the widespread perception that religion plays a more prominent role in Israel’s current right-wing, religiously oriented government.

According to the study, Ben-Gurion cited biblical or rabbinic texts in 79% of his speeches, compared to 58% of Netanyahu’s. The references ranged from brief phrases like “ingathering of exiles” and “eternity of Israel” to full-length biblical quotations.

Ben-Gurion, serving as prime minister just a few years after the Holocaust, referenced its atrocities – including the six million murdered Jews, the Nazis, and Adolf Hitler – in 27% of his wartime speeches to underscore Israel’s existential struggle. Netanyahu has done so slightly less frequently, mentioning the Holocaust in 22% of his addresses.

The study found that Israel’s first prime minister frequently drew on Jewish historical imagery, both ancient and modern. Ben-Gurion referenced figures like Moses, Joshua, Bar Kokhba, and the Hasmoneans in 42% of his speeches, and cited major events such as the Exodus or the Spanish Inquisition in just over half. By contrast, Netanyahu has mentioned key historical events in only 12% of his wartime addresses.

Netanyahu, nevertheless, surpasses Ben-Gurion when it comes to appealing to personal religious sentiment.

Phrases like “with God’s help” and “may God avenge their blood” appear in 59% of Netanyahu’s speeches – nearly three times more than in Ben-Gurion’s, who used such phrases only 21% of the time. Ben-Gurion, a secular socialist, only occasionally employed religious language, such as references to “in God’s image” or “the Holy One, blessed be He.”

The study’s authors concluded that, contrary to popular belief, Netanyahu’s wartime rhetoric has not been more religious or more focused on the Holocaust than Ben-Gurion’s.

“Anyone can notice that Netanyahu frequently says ‘with God’s help,’ and some have assumed this is aimed at a more traditional audience,” Amati said. “But our findings show that religious rhetoric has long been embedded in Israeli political discourse.”