Sep 22, 2024

Hebrew Literature and the 1948 War

Essays on Philology and Responsibility

Hannan Hever

Hosted by Ari Barbalat

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Summary

Hebrew Literature and the 1948 War: Essays on Philology and Responsibility (Brill, 2019) is the first book-length study that examines the diversity of attitudes and variety and responses to the Palestinian Nakba in modern Hebrew and Israeli literature. The book includes close readings of the works of Avot Yeshurun, S. Yizhar, Nathan Alterman, Yehuda Amichai, Yitzhak Laor, Haim Gouri and Amos Oz, among others. In doing so, the author develops a new and critical paradigm for reflecting on the moral responsibility of literature and the ethics of reading. The book examines the plethora of discursive perspectives in modern Hebrew poetry and fiction and Israeli literature toward the history of national violence between Israelis and Palestinians. In this context, Hebrew and Israeli literature, fiction and poetry are presented as an under-appreciated theatre of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hever's study marks a groundbreaking exploration into the myriad perspectives and reactions to the Palestinian Nakba within modern Hebrew and Israeli literature. The author introduces a fresh and critical framework for contemplating the ethical obligations of literature and the responsibilities of readers. By investigating the tapestry of viewpoints found in modern Hebrew and Israeli poetry toward the fate of Palestinian Arabs in 1948, the book sheds light on the complex narrative of national violence that has shaped the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this regard, Hebrew and Israeli literature emerges as a vital yet often overlooked stage for understanding the historical dynamics of this enduring struggle.