Filled with a sense of great accomplishment, he sat back in his reclining chair and raised his legs on the desk, shut his eyes and recalled some of the intense action he had recently experienced. ‘Who knows?’ He thought to himself, feeling a joyful sense of glory. ‘Maybe even a Pulitzer Prize will be on the horizon.’
The media was busy reporting the latest news while the leaders at our Organization headquarters gathered for a joint meeting which included all of the Israeli Army’s top brass and all the division leaders. Mordechai Imber, the Minister of Defense, had been a negotiator with the Israeli government for three decades, was at the head of the table. He greeted us and commenced with an opening statement.
“I am here to brief you on the latest international event which you have all heard about. This is a great day for the world in which the tides of freedom hit hard against the rocks of oppression. You are all aware of the pressure that had been put on us through the years by the US, the European Union and the UN to accept the peace agreement with the Palestinians. Their demands, regardless of the perpetual acts of terror against our nation, left us helpless to the threats and sanctions by the international community. But now, many of these nations are currently suffering from the presence of radical Islamic terrorism that has been spreading all around the world. As you can see, there is still turmoil in Palestine, and especially in other Arab countries around us. But somehow the focus is always on what we do. We had to show the world that there is no place for duplicity when it comes to signing peace accords. We are still suffering today from the ramifications of the failed peace agreement between the Palestinians and us, and not a single word of regret has come from those who pushed us into the corner. The Palestinian government, even after it received approval for nationhood was locked on the concept of gaining recognition by means of violence and fabricated scenarios. For this reason, we wanted to show the world, based on principal, that we too can call for justice and the rights for people anywhere on the planet. As an act of solidarity, we were compelled to assist in bringing about a rightful resolution for the Native Americans. After all, we were also a nation of tribes, having been dispersed by means of violence and persecution. Today the world understands that honesty and integrity are the only means by which nations should be governed.
“Before I close the meeting, there is a special live video message that has been sent by BAM for all of you to watch.” He pressed a button on the control console and in a flash, Moses’s image appeared on the large screen behind him.
“Greetings to all of you in Israel. My name is Moses. I am the leader of the BAM movement. As you all must have heard by now, Native Americans have finally been given the respect that they deserved a long time ago. My people and I wish to convey our gratitude to you for the support that your government has given us. You have stood behind our cause since the first day that I had made contact with Mordechai Imber. Your behind-the-scenes involvement in the negotiation process, and the efforts that your agents made, bolstered the proper insight to work out a suitable plan and solution.
“It was a natural continuance for us to attempt to use the same harsh strategies that other nations have imposed at will on others, even though it put us in an uncomfortable circumstance that was rather foreign to us. The goals of fundamentalism in many nations have been to reprogram the population using extreme manipulations of the status quo. But our fundamentals have to do with the righteousness and ideals of our cause for the whole population, and not for individual power or inflating the personal bank accounts of any political leaders or contractors.
“Clearly, we have not murdered anyone or terrorized any populations; however, the threat we made was quite clear. I can tell you truly that it would have been very tragic for all sides had an accord not been reached in time.
“Our negotiations were successful examples of the process of mediation, based on what your Israeli advisers conveyed to us; the result of which involved a high degree of mutual respect and admiration for our agenda by all the parties involved. We look forward to a continuing partnership with your great nation and invite you to come and visit our new Native American Union. I wish you all a bright, peaceful future. Shalom for now.”
Minister Imber looked at the members who were gathered and realized that they, too, were impressed by the clip they had all just seen. Days later, this same clip was provided to the Israeli Media for public viewing. Some of the headlines in the local US newspapers read, “HOME OF THE BRAVE”, “INDIAN GIVERS NO MORE”.
Chapter Twelve
Jezabilah was busily doing her best at running the new Palestine. She had made her mark and was now recognized as the outright leader of the Inkasar movement. Most of the criminals of the Fattah and Hamas factions were now incarcerated and the date for new elections had been set. This was a great new era, with refreshing policies and changes being made in the world’s political forums. Everyone in Israel and Palestine realized that they had a serious, peace-loving partner with whom to maintain a secure future of both our nations.
I had been in contact with Jezabilah constantly, and she knew all about our connection with BAM and their accomplishments. She mentioned to me that she had goose-bumps every time she heard about the Native American protest and their intentions. I had reassured her then that it would all turn out well for everyone. She had originally been apprehensive about Inkasar accomplishing its goals, but my pep talks all along have served well to raise her confidence.
Back on mainland USA, Little Wing was at a press conference at the Highlands Ranch news center. It was a highly charged scene with a large group of reporters from all the major networks, transmitting live, moment-by-moment action of the proceedings. He was assessing the situation, answering questions about the negotiations BAM had with the US government officials.
“Your President and his staff,” he stated firmly, “had no problem understanding the content of our demands when BAM expressed its stand on the issues of Native American rights. The facts about the abuses that our people had suffered were clearly laid out. The government had created a gap between its own body of states and the lands which were allocated to our different tribes. This gap was accompanied by irresponsible neglect and a lack of agency support from the beginning. As a result of the US government’s attempt to push us out of our lands, many of our people who survived the racial cleansing and the wars that had ensued became dependent on the government, rather than becoming self-sufficient. By using the resources which will now be in our ownership, we will head into a bright new horizon, filled with self-respect and gratification. We are a proud people that have come a long way through hard times. We have now regained our standing and will begin to provide for ourselves, just as we had done before the colonialists arrived on our lands.”
“How have you been received by other nations?” asked one of the reporters, having gotten Little Wing’s nod to speak.
“We have been in touch with many representatives from many nations, all of whom have praised us for our accomplishment and have vowed to look into their own policies in respect to the indigenous minorities in their lands. Duplicity is intolerable in political forums, even if you are a major world power. The main goal for any nation wanting to be part of a world order is to set an example for the rest of the world to follow. The USA will most likely get an amazing approval rating - when all the smoke signals clear.” Smiling, Little Wing pointed to another reporter.
“What can you tell us about your affiliations with the Israeli government?” asked a reporter from The Wall Street Journal.
“We are grateful to the Israelis in particular, not only for their spiritual and cultural foundations, but also for the aid they have provided in laying out a strategic plan to set up a chain of programs for us. These programs will bring business investors, people from many fields from all around the world to help us build our Native American Union. They have started creating a communications network that will tie us to every possible
connection inside and outside of our borders. We look forward to be in touch on all levels with all free nations of the world.” He raised his palm at the reporters, signifying the end of the questioning.
“Please, ladies and gentlemen, no more questions. You will be able to look up any additional information on our website. And if you wish, you will have the option to contact us by email or live chat. That is all for now. Thank you very much for your time. I wish you all success and prosperity, my friends. May peace be with you all.”
Little Wing walked off the stage waving to the crowd and was escorted to his vehicle. The media was busy updating its information about all the events that had transpired over the last few weeks. The documents and treaties which had been referred to throughout the negotiations became public domain. There was no reason to hide anything anymore. The truth was out, and justice h
During the following weeks, The President of the United States was honored by every free nation on earth. The White House website had thousands of messages posted to its wall every day, in reference to all sorts of various subjects. But now, most of posts expressed praise and admiration for the thoughtful and righteous actions that had been taken by Congress and the President in respect to the NAU (Native American Union).
On the other side of the world, Israeli politicians were in big demand for interviews by the media. While all this was going on, Inkasar, which had become a popular political party, was becoming stronger and more accepted by the Palestinian populations of Gaza and the West Bank. New offices were being built for the purpose of fulfilling the much needed social and medical assistance that had been neglected for so long. Schools all over Palestine were being refurbished and the parks were being maintained by groundskeepers. Major repairs were being done on the facades of buildings that had been damaged by missile attacks, bullet holes, or those that had become dilapidated due to years of neglect. Now, at last, the aid coming from outside sources was being utilized in the proper way, and not being misused. Previously most of the aid money was used to buy weapons and explosives, and the rest of the funds were transferred to the bank accounts of terrorist organizations inside and outside of Palestine. Today, all the funds are handled properly and are directed towards proper improvements in the education system, renovation of neighborhoods, social assistance and infrastructure. Jezabilah chose the most modern methods for clean agriculture that focused on the application of proper environmental and ecological standards at every level. Everyone was beginning to see the light of hope, feeling the sensation of security and an ever-growing quality of life. She was keeping in touch with Little Wing and he told her that there would be an exclusive interview with Moses. He expressed his wishes to come and visit as well as conveying a formal invitation for her to come and visit their new homeland. Jezabilah was very pleased and promised to set some time for a meeting.
Just as Little Wing described, later that week, Tom and his crew anxiously arrived on time for their set appointment with Moses. They were astounded at the sight the fabulously beautiful venue that was now the headquarters of the IAM party. Tom knew that this would be the most important media interview in his career. The interview was to take place in an immense structure designed in the style of a traditional wigwam. It was part of the new headquarters that the IAM had set up in Sweet Plains; the new name that they had given this particular county in Colorado. While the crew unloaded their equipment, Tom walked around enjoying the landscaping and the overall atmosphere. Moses and his staff had worked long hours on a special layout for these grounds. The structures where decorated with design elements rooted in traditional Indian art. There was a large stable filled with horses of all types; among them Mustangs and Appaloosas. Tom was amazed by their beauty and took some close-up photos. Adjacent to the main complex, an attractive desert garden with an astonishing variety of large cacti and beautiful colorful flora encompassed the rocky trails and the small pond. Tom enjoyed the soothing sound of the flowing water in the stream that flowed into the pond. His mood was euphoric as it is and the ambiance of the setting quenched his spirit.
When Tom and his crew were summoned to meet for the interview, they were instructed to wait for the coordinator to escort them. Once they were inside, Moses and his staff greeted them. Moses was dressed in suede garments, which were ornamented with onyx. He approached Tom and gave him a big, bear hug. He then grabbed his shoulders while looking deeply into his eyes and smiling.
“Welcome dear friend. I am very glad you came,” said Moses.
“It is great to see you too, Moses,” stated Tom excitedly, with great delight. Tom could still feel the pressure of the hug Moses had just given him.
“Please sit down so that we can start,” Moses replied, as he reached for the cup of herbal tea that had been steeping on his desk. “Would you like some tea?” he asked cordially,
‘Here I am,’ Tom thought to himself, ‘in a wonderful, perfect paradise, sharing the thoughts of one of the great people of our time.’
“No, thank you, Moses. But right after this interview, I am all ready with a bottle of some forty-year-old whisky.” Tom snickered noticeably and settled in for the interview.
“Tom, I know you have been waiting patiently for this, but we will have to keep our interview limited to only one hour. Some urgent things have come up on the agenda and besides that, I have so many meetings scheduled. I am sure you understand that we are all pressed for time these days. But I could not cancel our appointment; a promise is a promise.”
While they talked, his crew setup a microphone on the table made from a thick crosscut of a redwood tree and turned it on.
“Well, I had hoped to sit with you for at least a few hours, but I do understand and I’ll deal with the limitations,” answered Tom with a subtle tone of disappointment. All the necessary audio and video equipment was already in place and the camera and sound crews signed their readiness.
“I’m certain that you’ll be able to get a lot of information. Let’s start.” Moses took a sip of the tea; placed the cup down on the table and sat back in his chair in a relaxed posture. Tom reached for his backpack, took out his tablet and opened up the file with the list of questions that he had prepared. Tom was filled with excitement and he shifted in his chair, just as the crew began recording.
Tom: My main interest in this interview is the saga of Tree. Little Wing has already given me some of the background on Tree, but I need specifics about the man, his beliefs and his ideologies.
Moses:I’ll be glad to impart the many facets of our great founding leader. Most of this information I have is documented in the diary he kept.
Tom: I am aware of that; Little Wing had mentioned a diary. What sources did Tree have for all his ideas and beliefs?
Moses: Besides various novels and plays, he read many books on history and science. In addition, he read the newspaper every day of his life and kept himself constantly updated on the current events and important issues of the times. His passionate curiosity about the Holy Land was rooted in the writings of the Torah. And the fact that he understood the meaning of the words was the spiritual push that made him curious about visiting the Holy Land.
Tom: I know about this Torah. Little Wing mentioned that it had come to Tree’s possession. Can you be more specific about that item?
Moses: That particular Torah had been part of the items that were requisitioned for a journey on a ship that embarked from Etzion-Gaver; a port city at the northernmost bay of the Red Sea. It was back in the year 850 BC, when an Israelite Prince named Nathan was sent on an expedition down the African coast to reach a land named Ophir. Nathan was directed to find a source for diamonds and gold, but the ship’s navigator wasn’t clear about the exact location of Ophir. He steered the ship on a different route and as they sailed, they confronted severe storms and lost their bearings. After months at sea, they reached an unknown shore and wound up in Central America.
Tom: But ho
w did that Torah wind up in Tree’s possession?
Moses: The Torah was first received by the Yucatan Maya Indians from Nathan. Once he learned their language, he began to teach them about the writings in the Bible. They showed great interest and were curious to learn about the people of Israel. As time went by, the tribal leader took favor in Nathan and offered him to choose one of his daughters as his wife. One particular young princess caught his eye, he began courting her on a daily basis and they fell in love. Before they married, he asked her to change her name to the Hebrew name of Neomi. One day, Nathan and Neomi disappeared into the jungle together never to be seen again. Through the years, the Torah found its way across Central America and up the Western Coast of North America.
Tom: How did it get there?
Moses: Wars, marriages and trading. Through the passing of scores of generations, the Mayans transferred it to the Chol Indians as part of a wedding gift, and later lost it to the Popococas, who won it during a tribal competition. When an all-out war broke out in the region, the Mazatec tribe acquired it as one of the trophies for conquering their enemies. However, the final transfer to Tree’s tribe came when one of the Mazatec warriors who had a grudge against his leaders for demoting him in the tribal hierarchy broke into the Mazatec storehouse and stole the Torah. He ran away and traveled up the west coast on his own quest for a new life. Upon arriving at Tree’s encampment, he offered the Torah and the accompanying text translations as a gesture of good will and as a gift of appreciation for his acceptance into the tribe.
Broken Lands Page 15