‘From the river to the sea’: The weaponization of the concept of anti-Semitism in Vox’s discourse

This article examines how Vox weaponizes the term ‘anti-Semitism’ in its political discourse to undermine the credibility of the left in Spain. Using a critical discourse analysis approach, the research explores Vox’s strategies across five parliamentary debates and five articles published by La Gaceta de la Iberosfera between October 2023 and July 2024. The findings reveal that Vox portrays the left as aligned with Islamist terrorism by leveraging events like Spain’s recognition of Palestine and leftist endorsements of phrases such as ‘From the river to the sea’. This tactic allows Vox to deflect accusations of anti-Semitism and instead attribute them to the left. Through this process, Vox redefines and destabilizes traditional meanings of anti-Semitism, using the term as a rhetorical tool to enhance its own image while discrediting opponents.