Caleb sat quietly taking in the story. As they left, he shook Jamal’s left hand. “You served your country well today,” Caleb said. “God bless you for doing that. I admire you for volunteering to save Jaffa. The defeat doesn’t take away from what you did.”
As they walked out the door, Jamal admitted to himself that this American might be all right after all.
***
Coming out of the dark, Sabria and Caleb entered the brightly lit front room to find Adnan intently listening to the radio.
“Any news of what has happened in Jaffa? Sabria asked.
“Quite a bit,” Adnan replied. “I’ve found a Jewish station that seems to know what is going on in lots of different places.”
“What do they say?”
“That Jaffa fell today. They claim there are only about four thousand Arabs left from the sixty thousand residents. So Jamal got out just in time.”
“So the fifteen hundred strong volunteers had no help from the British Army?”
“They did three weeks ago, Sabria. But it was a useless effort. It did stop the Hagana for a short time, but they’re pulling out as you know.”
“We saw many of their troops in Haifa.” Caleb turned to Adnan. “They did nothing to help. It looked like they just killed time until they could get on ships to take them home.”
“That’s exactly right, Adnan said. “The Mandatory period since just after World War One is coming to a close. Tomorrow. Can you imagine? Twenty-seven years of British colonial rule and it’s coming to an end. We’ve known this was the plan for nearly a year. I think the Zionists have calculated this into their plans to have a free rein to stampede over our country and drive out most of us.” Adnan sighed, and sat back in his chair.
Sabria watched her grandfather. He seemed discouraged. He appeared older somehow. The future looked bleak for their country, for its land and people. She paused and then nodded a confirmation, “So the British will leave on the fourteenth of May 1948, a day that will go down in history.”
“Yes, and not only that, but there will be nothing to stop David Ben Gurion from proclaiming a state right here in our own land.” Adnan sighed. “He could do it tomorrow. If your country, Caleb, and the Europeans and maybe the Soviet Union recognize the new state, we’re sunk. According to the partition boundaries, which we reject, we will become second-class citizens of a Jewish state they will call Israel after the biblical country nearly two thousand years ago. What rights will Arabs have in the land stolen by force from us? We have never been free.” He shook his head. “And maybe never will be.”
Sabria quickly rose to hug her grandfather. “We will be free someday, Grandfather. We will. Maybe you’ll never see it come, but we younger people will never give up, never. We can share it with others but we will not leave. This land is our land, our home, our very lives, our mother.”
Chapter 35
By ten in the evening, Valerie had not heard any noise from the bedroom. She began to wonder whether the soldier had survived his trauma. Standing by the door she heard nothing, so she opened it slowly to see whether he had moved. He had, now lying on his side facing the door. She watched him for a moment as he opened his eyes and looked at her. He seemed dazed and said nothing, continuing to examine the room.
He had gone for hours with no water or food. She decided to try to quench his thirst, knowing he needed fluids. Her woman guest helped Valerie turn him onto his back and then elevate his chest with pillows. Putting the glass of water to his mouth, he swallowed and seemed to want more. They plied him with water and then some orange juice. He frowned and looked like he would speak. Then his eyes closed and he seemed to drift off to sleep. The two women left the room, closed the door and finally went to bed behind their own locked doors.
***
Valerie arose to the sound of bombing in the distance. At six o’clock the sun shone in the window. She quietly opened the bedroom door to find the soldier sitting on the bed. The bathroom door was open and the light on. He must have walked there.
“Where am I?” he asked in German.
“In a house in Qatamon,” Valerie replied trying to recall her German words. Looking at her bewildered charge just waking up from his concussion, she lost any fear of him. “Do you speak English?”
“How did I get here?” he replied in clear English.
“You ran into the courtyard and fell.”
“I don’t remember that. I don’t remember anything except planning to clear the neighborhood.”
“Why would you do that?”
“Just doing my job, I guess. I don’t know why. Are you Jewish?”
Valerie smiled. “I am. I take it you are too.”
“Yes.”
“How old are you, Captain?”
“I think I’m twenty-eight. My mind isn’t remembering very well.”
“It looks like you walked to the bathroom. Would you like to come out and have some breakfast?”
“I would. I . . . don’t know what happened or why I’m here. Do I know you?”
“No we’ve never met.” Valerie paused as a flash of recognition again crossed her mind. He looked like someone she had met somewhere but had no idea who or when. The thought passed as quickly as it had come and she put it out of her mind while she prepared a breakfast of coffee, fruit, and naan with hummus and lebneh.
As he ate, still seeming to be dazed, Valerie suddenly remembered the slip of paper now in her pocket. She stood behind the end of the counter and pulled it out. There as she remembered, a written name “Valerie” followed by her telephone number. What could this mean? It looked like a woman’s writing in English. Why did he have her name and number? Would he be able to remember? She didn’t want to ask him and placed it back in her pocket.
***
The fourteenth of May had come. The whole family as well as Caleb gathered around the radio with Adnan. At the evening news the announcement came, the time of Sabbath eve for observant Jews. David Ben Gurion announced that the British Mandate would end at midnight. At that moment the Jewish State would begin.
The announcer would read the proclamation signed by a number of Zionist leaders, but first a lengthy explanation. The actual declaration came near the end: “Accordingly, we members of the peoples’ council, representatives of the Jewish community of Eretz-Israel and of the Zionist Movement, are here assembled on the day of the termination of the British Mandate over Eretz-Israel and, by virtue of our natural and historic right and on the strength of the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, hereby declare the establishment of a Jewish State in Eretz-Israel, to be known as the State of Israel.”
Adnan sat up straight in his chair. “That’s it! We knew it would come. So at midnight tonight, the British rule will officially end, and the Jews will have their own nation. What will happen to any Arabs who live in what will become the Jewish State remains to be seen. The Zionists don’t pay any attention to the part of the Balfour doctrine that speaks of protecting the rights of the people of the land. I’m not sure I want to be here any longer.”
The family and Caleb sat there not knowing what to say.
Finally Sabria spoke. “When will our Arab friends from other countries come to our aid?” She paused and looked at Caleb. “And what will America do, and other countries. Can they accept and recognize this declaration? Is it part of the United Nations’ resolution?”
Adnan rose and clicked off the radio. “I think we’ve had enough for one evening. Hold some of your questions. They may be answered tomorrow.”
***
Caleb arose early, dressed and walked quietly down stairs. He tiptoed across the front room to find Adnan already in his chair by the radio listening at low volume to the newscast. Adnan signaled him to sit down. The announcer spoke of international reaction to the news from Tel Aviv of statehood for Israel. At six o’clock in the morning the new nation was only six hours old. And the United States and other countries had already recognized it. The newscast read the
statement from Washington, D.C., issued at 6:11pm eastern standard time on the fourteenth. “This government has been informed that a Jewish state has been proclaimed in Palestine, and recognition has been requested by the provisional government thereof. The United States recognizes the provisional government as the de-facto authority of the State of Israel.”
Caleb transfixed at the radio announcement looked at his watch, a few minutes after six am. When the British Mandate ended at midnight, and at that very moment just over six hours ago, Ben Gurion declared the new state of Israel. That would be six in the evening in Washington, D.C. The US stated its approval or recognition of the new state at six-eleven pm. Only eleven minutes after the declaration of statehood by Ben Gurion, President Truman recognized it officially on behalf of America. Caleb realized the President must have prepared the recognition in advance.
Caleb had read in a US paper that the State Department with Secretary George Marshall had prepared and advocated a trusteeship plan for several years to be run by the UN and to replace the unequal partition plan that became the source of so much bloodshed. Something had changed that Harry Truman had agreed to an immediate recognition of the new state of Israel. He must have ignored his own State Department. The document of recognition would have to have been prepared in advance to support the Zionist cause. He wondered what had happened to completely dash the idea of a UN trusteeship backed up by a multinational peacekeeping force. That would have prevented much of the tragedy.
Adnan reached over to turn off the radio. Both men rose and without speaking wandered into the kitchen. Caleb motioned for Adnan to sit down while he prepared some morning coffee. “I’m so sorry that we in America have not done more to bring justice.”
Adnan nodded and remained quiet.
“What will be the Arab reaction to the creation of a Jewish state?” Caleb asked.
“I don’t know. We here can do little against the Zionist power and numbers. Perhaps other Arab countries will decide at last to come to our aid. But they are not prepared or organized. And they have divided loyalties. I have read that King Abdullah of Transjordan is actually working with the Zionists to take control of the land given to us Palestinians in the partition plan.”
Caleb found two cups in preparation for the Arabic coffee now almost boiling. He smiled, showing off his new skill as the aroma filled the kitchen.
“We Palestinians are not popular in the Arab world," Adnan continued. "Abdullah has the strongest military force of any Arab country. So being on the east bank of the Jordan River, he would colonize the Palestinian west bank. He has included in his demands the Old City and East Jerusalem.”
“You mean that the Palestinian Arabs would still not be able to govern themselves? They would still be under a colonial government even though Arab?”
“Yes. So there will be a Jewish State and an Arab colony. We have never in modern history had our own government and freedom. And it looks like that will continue for the future.”
Caleb looked at Sabria’s grandfather as they drank their coffee. He looked old, and discouraged. Caleb felt a stab of love for him, the strength and wisdom of a man who had been such a leader in his family and community, now reduced by circumstances out of his control to a limited future without hope.
***
Sabria and Caleb walked into Tantura village that looked so peaceful. The fishing boats gradually returned in the mid-afternoon with their catch of the day. People popped in and out of the shops. The two headed for the beach where they took off their shoes and waded in the still cool Mediterranean shallows as the tide came in. They strolled along, each deep in thought.
“I’m worried about Grandfather,” Sabria said. “I’ve never seen him down like he is now. It’s as though he has lost hope for his country.”
Caleb nodded and sighed. “Do you think a full-scale war will break out if the Arab countries decide to help?”
“I suppose it could happen, Caleb. But listening to Grandfather, I don’t think they have much power. Besides, they are divided in their loyalty. I have heard that the Jordanians’ army is well trained, but they have some arrangements to take the Palestinian’s land by agreement with Ben Gurion. So leaning on Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon may be like putting weight on a broken reed.”
Still carrying their shoes, the couple padded up through the soft sand to some rocks that would serve as good places to sit and lean against, partially hidden from view. Caleb flicked a few pebbles into the air. “I’m wondering whether I should go back to Haifa and the University?”
“Do you think you’d be safe? Would they still be having classes as usual in the midst of all the trouble?”
“I’m not sure of anything anymore. My world has been turned upside down since I met you.” Caleb turned with a smile. “I didn’t plan on this, Sabria. You have stolen my heart and now I can’t leave.”
Sabria, flushed in her face, turned toward him. “I don’t understand what you mean by ‘stolen?’ Did I do something wrong?”
“No, no.” He laughed and pulled her close. He felt her body melt into his arms as her black hair cascaded over his face. He was in heaven and kissed her several times on her cheeks and forehead, ending in a first kiss on her soft lips.
She pushed away gently, and sat staring out to sea. “What are we going to do? I’m afraid you’ll go home and we’ll never see each other again.”
“I said I can’t leave and I meant it. By all rights I should go back to peaceful America and leave all this chaos behind. But I am becoming Palestinian. I love your people, your generous hospitality, your warmth and welcome. And more than that, Sabria, I love you.”
“I love you too, Caleb.” She put her head on his shoulder. “Normally I would have dreams about us being together, but seeing so much suffering all around us, they often turn to nightmares.”
“That’s why I’m not leaving you.” He stood up grasping Sabria’s hand. “Let’s go back. I have some money to pay for a long-distance call home. I’ll tell my parents that I will be staying beyond the spring term. I won’t tell them about you at this time. Maybe later.”
“Do they know what is happening here? Will they be worried about you?”
“I’m not sure. I doubt whether they hear much although they will read or hear on the radio the news of the new state of Israel. I’ll have to be careful in what I say.”
“Maybe you should tell them the truth.”
Caleb remained deep in thought as they trudged through the soft sand. Finally he grimaced and took a deep breath. “They won’t understand, but perhaps I should.”
***
Arriving home they found everyone huddled around the radio. Jamal raised his fist with a triumphant shout, “Guess what!”
Sabria laughed to see Jamal recovering so well waving his good left arm. “So tell me. I can’t guess right now.”
“Our Arab state friends have just announced they are coming to help us.”
“Which ones, Jamal?” she suddenly turned serious.
“Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and even Iraq.”
“That means all-out war, doesn’t it?” Caleb asked.
Adnan had remained quiet as all eyes turned to him for his assessment. “Yes it does mean that finally we have some help against an overwhelming force driving us out. But these countries are not prepared. It is short notice for them. They together are no match for the well-trained Hagana and the Irgun and Stern Gang. The Jewish forces will have the upper hand from the beginning. And then the UN will do everything in its power to stop the new war.”
“So you don’t think anything will change. That we won’t get our land back?” Jamal looked crestfallen.
“I hope I’m wrong, Jamal. But right now I don’t see that happening. The only hope for us Arabs is to move to the land the UN is giving to Transjordan on the west side of the river. But we have no place there and would have to live in a refugee camp. But I have not heard of any yet.”
Jamal dropped his head. Sabria could se
e a tear fall from his cheek.
Chapter 36
After breakfast, Valerie rose to get a second cup of coffee and offered a refill to Eldad sitting across the table in her kitchen. She could see him watching her closely as she poured the coffee. His face remained grim, brows lowered and he took a deep breath in and then a long sigh.
“It bothers me that I can’t remember how I got here.”
“I told you that you ran into my courtyard. You took a bullet to the helmet and it knocked you out, so we dragged you inside and put you to bed.”
“We? Who else helped you? Is your husband here?”
She thought a moment. A man would be her protection. “A woman from a guest family temporarily living here.”
“Oh, so you have other people here besides me?”
“Yes, but they have a small kitchen so we don’t see them a lot.”
“So you rent out space to them?”
“Not exactly. They are guests because they have lost their home.”
“Why did they lose their home?”
“You can ask them for their story when you see them.”
Eldad looked puzzled. “Are you Jewish?”
“Yes. And how about you?”
“I . . . I am. Yes, of course. I was raised Jewish so I must be. I don’t remember where I came from, but I grew up as a Jew. I do remember that much.”
“What about your parents? Are they observant Jews?”
“I don’t know. All I remember is growing up with an older couple, Jewish. So we went to synagogue. I didn’t like them or their religion.”
“You mean they weren’t your real parents?”
“No. The couple adopted me. I have never met my parents. I don’t know who they are or why they put me up for adoption. I guess I don’t know who I am.”
“Have you ever tried to find them?”
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