A tense political thriller about the hunting down of a wartime Nazi executioner in the Welsh countryside by, among others, a Jewish girl, is being published by Y Lolfa this week.

Set in the early eighties, shortly after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and now published in the wake of the Israeli massacre in Gaza, it likely to prove controversial as the author is a committed Zionist.

However Judith Maro, the author, who now lives in Mumbles, Swansea, insists she disagrees strongly with present Israeli policies, as do many other Jewish intellectuals.

Author Judith Maro said: “I do hope the novel will also stimulate discussion about some difficult political issues which are relevant to Israel, Lebanon and Gaza today.”

Judith was brought up in Jerusalem and after graduating at the university there, joined the Zionist paramilitary Haganah organization. She met her future husband, Welsh sculptor Jonah Jones, at a British Army education centre in Palestine. She has lived for long periods in North Wales and Cardiff before settling with her family in Swansea.

She has written four novels in both English and Welsh and various essays and reviews and a memoir. She is fluent in both Hebrew and Arabic.

Bydd Y Lolfa yn cyhoeddi nofel wleidyddol gyffrous yr wythnos hon gan awdures sy’n wreiddiol o Israel. Mae priodas rhwng Gwyddel a Chymraes yn gefndir i’r dirgelwch sy’n troi o gylch dwy fferm ym mryniau Meirionnydd. Mae ditectif lleol a myfyrwraig o Israel yn ymchwilio i gefndir Pwyliad sydd wedi byw mewn tyddyn unig o’r enw Tyddyn Isaf am 35 mlynedd. Mae The Stoat yn nofel antur ryngwladol ei blas, sy’n trin rhai o densiynau gwleidyddol dyfnaf yr oes sydd ohoni.

Cafodd Judith Maro ei magi yn Jerusalem. Priododd y cerflunydd Jonah Jones, ac wedi byw mewn sawl ardal o Gymru, mae bellach wedi setlo yn y Mwmbwls ger Abertawe. Er ei bod yn Iddewes, mae hi fel nifer o feddylwyr Iddewig eraill, yn anghytuno a pholisïau presennol llywodraeth Israel. Mae’n gobeithio y bydd The Stoat yn annog trafodaeth am faterion gwleidyddol sy’n berthnasol i Israel, Libanus, Gaza a Chymru heddiw.

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