Hilltop

Hailed as The Great Israeli Novel (Time Out Tel Aviv) and winner of the prestigious Bernstein Prize, The Hilltop is a monumental and daring work about life in a West Bank settlement from one of Israels most acclaimed young novelists.On a rocky, beautiful hilltop stands Maaleh Hermesh C, a fledgling community flying under the radar. According to the government it doesnt exist, according to the military it must be defended. On this contested land, Othniel Assis under the wary gaze of the neighbouring Palestinian village plants asparagus, rocket and cherry tomatoes, and he installs goats and his ever-expanding family. As Othniel cheerfully manipulates government agencies, more settlers arrive, and, amid a hodge-podge of shipping containers and mobile homes, the outpost takes root.One of the settlements steadfast residents is Gabi Kupper, a one-time free spirit and kibbutz-dweller, who undergoes a religious awakening. The delicate routines of Gabis new life are thrown into turmoil with the sudden arrival of Roni, his prodigal brother, who, years after venturing to America in search of fortune, arrives at Gabis door, penniless. To the settlements dismay, Roni soon hatches a plan to sell the artisanal olive oil from the Palestinian village to Tel Aviv yuppies. When a curious Washington Post correspondent stumbles into their midst, Maaleh Hermesh C becomes the focus of an international diplomatic scandal and faces its greatest test yet.By turns serious and satirical, The Hilltop brilliantly skewers the complex, often absurd reality of life in Israel, and makes a startling parallel between todays settlements and the kibbutz movement of Gabi and Ronis youth. Rich with humour and insight, Assaf Gavrons novel is the first to grapple with one of the most charged geo-political issues of our time.