Cultural mediation and public confidence in emergency communication

This article examines intercultural communication under conditions of inequality through a qualitative case study of emergency messaging directed at the Bedouin community in southern Israel. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Jewish and Bedouin reservists involved in the Bedouin Desk of the Israeli Home Front Command during the 2023–2025 war, the study applies the frameworks of cultural mediation and communication justice. The analysis identifies how institutional authority, local legitimacy, and trust are negotiated through culturally mediated practices. Findings highlight mediation as a key mechanism for addressing linguistic exclusion, enabling behavioural compliance, and advancing communication justice in high-risk, asymmetrical contexts.