Veteran activist Gershon Baskin, whose book The Negotiator detailed his role in freeing Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit from Hamas captivity, is the latest author to turn to the web for support.

He has appealed on the crowdfunding site indigo for sponsors of his new book, The Peacemaker, which draws on his 35 years working for Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation. To date, he has raised two-thirds of his £9,000 target.