Jasmine

A moving story of the love between Nuri and Jasmine, two young people struggling with self-doubt and divided loyalty, lies at the core of this beautiful novel. But this is also a social and political novel, one of the outstanding pieces of Hebrew literature that deal with the conflict between the Jewish and Palestinian peoples. Nuri is an Israeli Jew, born in Iraq, now an adviser on Arab affairs to the government; Jasmine is a Christian Palestinian Arab, beautiful and educated, who returns from her studies in Paris to her father`s home in conquered East Jerusalem.

The novel starts with the outbreak of the Six Day War in June 1967 and includes many colorful characters from both sides of the divide. The victorious Israelis are overcome by a euphoria that distorts their judgment, while the Palestinians are smitten with the shock of defeat. Nuri, an Oriental Jew, understands the outlook of other side. He is knowledgeable about Arab culture but also admires Western culture. Jasmine, a proud nationalist, at first sees in Nuri only one of the conquerors. But she learns to appreciate him as a human being, and gradually the two are drawn together.

Will love triumph? Can a meeting between two nations fighting over the same scrap of land work, or will hatred and mutual intolerance win out?