Yahya Al-Sinwar: The Enemy’s Language to Understand Their Plans

In a cramped prison cell under the weight of occupation, Yahya Al-Sinwar—may Allah have mercy on him and accept him among the martyrs—realized that strength doesn’t come solely from weapons but also from a deep understanding of the mind behind them. For many long years in captivity, he began learning Hebrew—not just as words but as a window into the enemy’s culture and plans. With every word he learned, he was strategizing for a future where he could defend his people with the power of intellect as well as force, believing that understanding the other is itself a victory.

He started learning Hebrew from jailers and books, jotting down words like one engraves a weapon. For him, learning wasn’t a luxury but a tool to comprehend the occupation’s strategies and schemes. He emerged from prison armed not only with the enemy’s language but with a deeper understanding of their psyche.

Yahya Al-Sinwar discovered that mastering the enemy’s language wasn’t merely an option but a necessity. He learned Hebrew to read newspapers, follow the news, and delve into the intricacies of occupation plans. He transformed from a prisoner struggling to grasp Hebrew words into a leader capable of reading between the lines, armed with the enemy’s language to decode their strategies and confront them on the ground.

Avichay Adraee: The Language of Influence and Control

On the other side, Avichay Adraee understood that influence is achieved through connecting with minds and hearts. He learned Arabic to master the tone that would make his messages resonate with a broad Arab audience. He studied it to grasp the pulse of Arab societies, later exploiting it in his media role, where he perfected a rhetoric designed to spark controversy and draw attention, serving as a propaganda figure shaping narratives that benefit his state.

Avichay Adraee grew up in a military environment that viewed Arabic as a key to influencing Arab communities. He studied the language in specialized institutions, delving into its expressions and absorbing its culture—not for rapprochement, but to master the art of propaganda. His voice became familiar to Arabs, blending incitement with allure, using Arabic as a bridge to convey his state’s messages amid psychological and media conflicts.

Between these two masteries, two languages are wielded as weapons in a long-term ideological battle.