Abstract

The two Israeli historic-documentary series—Amud Ha’esh (Pillar of Fire— POF) and Tkumah (Revival—TK)—have as a central subject the 1948 War, a major signpost in the Arab-Israeli on-going conflict. During the 20-year gap between them—the first produced in the 1970s, the second in the 1990s—major changes occurred in Israel which weakened the Zionist master-narrative and introduced post-Zionist historiography. The study places the two series within this changing scene, examining the connection between their constructive means and ideology. Findings show that POF uses time-structuring and emplotment to build a classical narrative, with Arabs as evil antagonists, whose point of view is rejected, and Jews as good and just protagonists. TK avoids binary oppositions and portrays two peoples entangled in a tragic, vicious struggle. It gives extensive expression to the Arab-Palestinian point of view and to the refugee problem. It emphasizes Arab’s attachment to the land, negating the Zionist “Empty Land” ethos promoted in POF. While POF totally adheres to the Zionist ethos, TK’s de-mythologizing attitude fully expresses post-Zionist criticism of that heroic yet traumatic War, leading to the birth of Israel.

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