The Israeli settlements are one of the most contentious issues – if not the most contentious issue – in the Middle East. President Obama calls for them to stop, the Palestinians say a halt is essential for the peace process, but the Israeli government continues to build them. The authors of this book travel from settlement to settlement talking to the settlers, the original settlers, ideological settlers and those who are simply looking for cheap housing, those who would move if they had to, those who say they will never move. They speak to native born Israelis, immigrants from countries ranging from America to Ethiopia, from the ultra-Orthodox to secular.

Josh Freedman Berthoud has written for the Observer, The Independent, Evening Standard and the Jewish Chronicle. He has appeared on political shows on the BBC and the Iranian Press TV. Seth Freedman is a contracted journalist for the Guardian Comment is Free. His first book, Can I Bring My Own Gun? An Israeli soldier’s story, was Time Out’s Book of the Week and was jointly published by the Guardian and Five Leaves. He is also the author of Binge Trading: the real inside story of cash, cocaine and corruption in the City (Penguin).