Postzionism and Its Aftermath in Hebrew Literature: The Case of Orly Castel-Bloom

Despite its prominence in academic discourse over the past 20 years, "Postzionism" remains a confused and contested term. The problems associated with this concept are even greater when attempting to apply it to the field of Hebrew literature. This article positions Hebrew literature in relation to Postzionism by focusing on the writing of Orly Castel-Bloom. Castel-Bloom's Postzionist and postmodernist fiction, by exploiting various types of ontological uncertainty, often advances an unusual and potent critique of Israeli society. In her most recent fiction, however, we witness a doubled retreat: Castel-Bloom switches to a realist idiom and articulates an Israeli identity that revolves around victimhood. This new direction in Castel-Bloom's fiction parallels changes that have taken place in Israeli society since the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada in 2000 and suggests the arrival of a period now supplanting Postzionism.