The Hilltop: A Novel

Mordantly funny and deeply moving, this award-winning novel about life in a West Bank settlement has been hailed as &quot;brilliant&quot; (<i>The New York Times Book Review</i>) and &quot;The Great Israeli Novel [in which] Gavron stakes his claim to be Israel's Jonathan Franzen&quot; (<i>Tablet</i>) .<br><br>On a rocky hilltop stands Ma'aleh Hermesh C, a fledgling outpost of Jewish settlers in the West Bank. According to government records it doesn't exist; according to the military it must be defended. On this contested land, Othniel Assis - under the wary gaze of the Palestinians in the neighboring village - lives on his farm with his ever-expanding family. As Othniel cheerfully manipulates government agencies, more settlers arrive, and a hodge-podge of shipping containers and mobile homes takes root.<br> <br>One steadfast resident is Gabi Kupper, a former kibbutz dweller who savors the delicate routines of life on the settlement. When Gabi's prodigal brother, Roni, arrives penniless on his doorstep with a bizarre plan to sell the &quot;artisanal&quot; olive oil from the Palestinian village to Tel Aviv yuppies, Gabi worries his life won't stay quiet for long. Then a nosy American journalist stumbles into Ma'aleh Hermesh C, and Gabi's worst fears are confirmed. The settlement becomes the focus of an international diplomatic scandal, facing its greatest threat yet.<br> <br>This &quot;indispensable novel&quot; (<i>The Wall Street Journal</i>) skewers the complex, often absurd reality of life in Israel. Grappling with one of the most charged geo-political issues of our time, &quot;Gavron's story gains a foothold in our hearts and minds and stubbornly refuses to leave&quot; (<i>Kirkus Reviews</i>, starred review) .