by Paul Sussman
'Keep your bloody hair on,' he grunted. 'It's just that hibiscus stuff. What do you call it?'
'Karkaday?
'That's the one. Very refreshing. Thought it was time to, you know . . . flush the old system out a bit.'
Although he was unfamiliar with the phrase, Khalifa got the gist of what the Israeli meant and smiled. They looked at each other, then away again. Now that it came to it neither of them was entirely certain what to say. Khalifa glanced down at the plastic bags, noting their contents.
'Colouring books?' he asked, surprised.
'What? Oh, yes. I was having a wander round town, saw them in a sale. There's this teacher I met, works in a school where they teach Palestinian and Israeli kids together, and they can't afford . . .' The Israeli broke off, embarrassed suddenly. 'Anyway, I thought she could use them,' he mumbled.
Khalifa nodded. 'She's beautiful, I think, this teacher.'
'She is actually. She's got this long hair that . . .' Again Ben-Roi broke off, scowling, as if he'd somehow been tricked into saying something he didn't want to say. 'Fuck you, Khalifa.'
There was no maliciousness in his tone, and behind the scowl there was a flicker of amusement. The tannoy rang out again.
'Last call for Egyptair Flight 431. Would all remaining passengers please report to the departure gate immediately.'
'That's me,' said Khalifa.
There was a pause, both of them still struggling for the right words, shuffling nervously from foot to foot, then Ben-Roi extended a hand.
'Ma-salaam, saheb. Goodbye, friend.'
Khalifa laughed. 'I thought you told me you didn't speak any Arabic.'
'Asked someone at the embassy,' said Ben-Roi with a shrug. 'Thought it would, you know, be polite or whatever.'
Khalifa nodded and, reaching out his own hand, grasped the Israeli's.
'Shalom, chaver. Goodbye, friend.'
This time it was Ben-Roi who chuckled.
'I thought you told me you didn't speak any Hebrew.'
'Looked it up in a phrase book,' said Khalifa. 'Thought it would be . . . polite, or whatever.'
They held each other's hands for a moment, eyes locked, then, releasing their grip and repeating their farewells, turned and started moving away. Khalifa had just passed through the security barrier, the last passenger to do so, when he heard a shout behind him.
'Hang on! Hang on!'
He stepped back through the barrier.
'I'll forget my own bloody head one of these days,' muttered Ben-Roi, fiddling in one of the bags and producing a small package, which he handed to Khalifa.
'For your wife and kids. Halva. Our national sweet. I picked it up at the embassy.'
The Egyptian protested, but Ben-Roi waved a hand and, delving into his pocket, produced another packet, smaller, only the size of a matchbox, done up in brown paper.
'And this is for you. Just a small thing.'
Again Khalifa protested, again the Israeli dismissed it, reaching out and slipping the packet into the Egyptian's pocket. They stood looking at each other, a sort of enforced hesitancy to their stance as if they were both holding themselves back from doing something they wanted to do but weren't at all sure was appropriate. Then, as one, they threw caution to the wind, stepped forward and embraced, Ben-Roi's arms completely enveloping the smaller man.
'I'll be seeing you, you cheeky Muslim cunt.'
Khalifa smiled, face pressed into the Israeli's massive barrel chest.
'You too, you arrogant Jew bastard.'
They remained like that for a moment, connected, then broke and went their separate ways. Neither of them looked back.
Later, once his plane was in the air and carrying him south back towards his home and his family, the only place he had ever wanted to be, Khalifa reached into his pocket and pulled out the packet Ben-Roi had given him. He gazed down at it, thinking he knew what it might contain, then, carefully, tore away the wrapping to reveal a small plastic box. Inside, on a bed of tissue, was the silver menorah Ben-Roi used to wear around his neck. He tipped it into his palm, smiling, and, closing his hand around it, leant his head against the window and stared down at the tiny thread of the Nile below, a miniature blue vein that against all the odds brought life and hope to the otherwise barren desert.
JERUSALEM
It was a big crowd, several thousand strong, packed fifteen deep along the edge of Sultan Suleiman Street, crammed shoulder to shoulder on the semicircle of stone steps leading down to the Damascus Gate – men and women, old and young, Israeli and Palestinian, some holding aloft flaming tapers, others banners and placards, others framed photographs of loved ones who had died in the violence between their two peoples. All of them were looking down at the makeshift stage in front of the gate, where two figures – one wearing a white yarmulke, the other a checked keffiyeh – were standing side by side in front of a single microphone. Every now and then there was a ripple of applause, but in general the crowd was quiet, taking in what was being said.
It was through the centre of this multitude that Yunis Abu Jish now slowly eased his way, the explosives-packed vest tight around his midriff, his face grey and drenched with sweat. As instructed he had gone to the payphone on the corner of Abu Taleb and Ibn Khaldoun, where al-Mulatham's people had given him his final orders: collect the vest from the abandoned building site, make his way down to the Damascus Gate, get as close to the stage as possible then pull the detonator cord.
' Allah-u-akhbar,' he mumbled, inching his way forwards, carefully, so as not to jolt the explosives. 'Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar.''
In front of him the men were taking it in turns to speak, leaning into the microphone and then away again.
'. . . end to violence . . . sacrifices in the name of peace . . . hatred or hope . . . our last chance . . .'
He was only dimly aware of their voices, lost as he was in the maelstrom of his own mind. He came to the bottom of the steps, edged across the esplanade in front of the gate, reached the stage and took up position right in the middle of it, directly below the speakers.
'. . . unequivocal withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip . . . acknowledgement of Israel's right to exist . . . abandonment of the Right to Return . . . compensation for refugees . . . Jerusalem as our shared capital . . . respect and understanding.'
'Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar.'
Sick, nauseous, terrified, he forced his hand up into his jacket, yanked the first of the cords to arm the explosives, dragged it down and clasped the second cord.
'. . . a new world . . . together as friends . . . hope out of despair . . . light instead of darkness . . .'
'Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar, Allah-u-akhbar.''
He pulled a little. Stopped. Pulled again. Froze. And there he remained, gripping the detonator, while above him the two men embraced and all around the crowd started to sing . . .
THE END
GLOSSARY
Abba Father (Hebrew).
Abbas, Mahmoud Successor to Yasser Arafat as President of the Palestinian Authority. Born 1935. Also known as Abu Mazen.
Abraham Jewish patriarch, considered the father of the Jewish people.
Abu Simbel Archaeological site in southern Egypt. Location of one of Egypt's greatest monuments, the Sun Temple of Ramesses II.
Abu Za'abal Egyptian prison near Cairo.
Abydos Cult centre of the god Osiris and burial ground of some of Egypt's earliest pharaohs. Located 90km north of Luxor.
Ahl el-Kitab Literally, 'People of the Book'. Muslim term for Jews and Christians, whose scriptures were incorporated into Islam.
Aish baladi Pitta-type bread made from wholemeal flour.
Akhenaten Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh. Ruled c. 1353–1335 BC. Father of Tutankhamun.
Al-Ahram Literally, 'The Pyramids'. Best-selling Egyptian newspaper.
Al-Akhbar Egyptian newspaper.
Al-Quds Arabic name for Jerusalem.
Alim a
l-Simsim Egyptian version of US children's show Sesame Street.
Aliyah Literally, 'Going up'. Emigration to the land of Israel.
Al-Wadi al-Gadid Egyptian prison in Kharga oasis.
Amarna Modern name for Akhetaten, a city built by the pharaoh Akhenaten on the east bank of the Nile midway between Cairo and Luxor.
Amenhotep I Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh. Ruled c. 1525–1504 BC. His tomb has never been conclusively identified.
Amenhotep II Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh. Ruled c. 1427–1401 BC.
Amenhotep III Eighteenth Dynasty pharaoh. Ruled c. l391–1353 BC. Father of Akhenaten, grandfather of Tutankhamun.
Amir, Yigal Jewish extremist. Assassinated Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.
Ankh Cruciform symbol. The ancient Egyptian sign of life.
Antonia Fortress Fortress adjacent to the Temple complex in ancient Jerusalem. Built by Herod the Great.
Arafat, Yasser Figurehead and de facto leader of the Palestinian people from the late 1960s until his death in November 2004. President of the Palestinian Authority from 1996. Born 1929. Also known as Abu Ammar.
Arminius Ancient German warrior hero. Lived c. 18 BC–AD 21. Famed for defeating the Roman army at the Battle of the Teutoberger Wald (AD 9).
Ashkelon An Israeli prison.
Aya A verse of the Koran.
Ayalon, Ami Former head of Shin Bet (1996–2000).
Babaghanoush Egyptian dish made from tahina and mashed aubergine.
Babi Yar A ravine near Kiev, site of an infamous World War Two massacre in which a hundred thousand people, mainly Jews, were shot dead by Nazi firing squads.
Banana Island A Luxor beauty spot. Renowned as a haunt for homosexuals.
Bar mitzvah Jewish ceremony marking a boy's coming of age.
Barak, Ehud Former Israeli Prime Minister (1999–2001).
Barghouti, Marwan Popular Palestinian activist and politician. Born 1958. Imprisoned by the Israelis in 2002.
Basbousa Egyptian sweet pastry made with semolina, nuts and honey.
Batya Gur Popular Israeli author.
Beir Zeit University Palestinian university, in Ramallah.
Beni Hassan Important Middle Kingdom necropolis on the east bank of the Nile, midway between al-Minya and Mallawi.
Bezalel Revered Jewish craftsman from the time of the Exodus. Created the Ark of the Covenant and the first Menorah.
Borscht Beetroot soup.
Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp, in Germany.
Butneya An area of Cairo renowned for its thieves and drug dealers.
Cabbala Mystical teaching of Judaism.
Caleche A horse-drawn carriage.
Camp David The US President's country retreat in Maryland. Scene of abortive peace talks in July 2000 between the then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat.
Cardo Covered street in the Jewish quarter of Old Jerusalem. Formerly the main thoroughfare of Roman Jerusalem.
Carter, Howard English archaeologist, discoverer in 1922 of the tomb of Tutankhamun. Lived 1874–1939.
Champollion, Jean François French scholar who deciphered hieroglyphs. Lived 1790–1832.
Chicago House The home of the University of Chicago Archaeological Mission in Luxor.
Chicken kneidlach Chicken soup with dumplings. Popular Jewish dish.
Constantine I Known as 'The Great'. First Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Lived c. AD 274–337.
Dahlan, Mohammed Palestinian politician and activist. Born 1961.
David Jewish hero and king. Lived c. eleventh to tenth centuries BC. Father of Solomon.
Debir (Holy of Holies) The most sacred part of the ancient Temple.
Deir el-Bahri Site of the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut (ruled c. 1473–1458 BC). On the west bank of the Nile at Luxor.
Deir el-Bersha Middle Kingdom necropolis on the east bank of the Nile, opposite the modern town of Mallawi.
Deir Yassin Former Palestinian village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. Scene of an infamous massacre by Jewish paramilitaries in 1948.
Deutsche Orient-Gesellschaft The German Oriental Society. An institution devoted to studying the history and archaeology of the Near East.
Djellaba Traditional robe worn by Egyptian men and women.
Djellaba suda Black robe worn by Egyptian peasant women.
Djoser Third Dynasty pharaoh. Ruled c. 2630–2611 BC. His step pyramid at Saqqara was the world's first monumental stone building.
Dunum Measurement of land, equivalent to a quarter of an acre.
Ecole Biblique Institute founded in 1890 for the study of the Bible and the archaeology of the Holy Land.
Eid el-Adha The Feast of Sacrifice, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar.
Eighteenth Dynasty Ancient Egyptian history is divided into Kingdoms (Old, Middle and New) which are in turn subdivided into dynasties. The Eighteenth Dynasty comprised fourteen rulers and covered the period c. 1550–1307 BC. It was the first of the three dynasties of the New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BC).
Elijah Hebrew prophet.
El-Kab Archaeological site on the east bank of the Nile, 70km south of Luxor. Has a spectacular town enclosure dating from the Early Dynastic Period (2920–2975 BC).
Erekat, Saeb Palestinian politician and academic. Born 1955.
Eretz Israel Ha-Shlema Literally, 'the Whole of Greater Israel' – i.e. the entire land that in the Bible God granted to Abraham.
Erez Checkpoint Main crossing point from Israel into the Gaza Strip.
Even Shetiyah Literally, 'Foundation Stone'. The exposed rock of Mount Moria on which the ancient Temple was built.
Ezra Ancient Jewish lawgiver.
Faience A material made of fired quartz, with a glazed outer layer. Used extensively in ancient Egypt for jewellery, small vessels etc.
Farid A make of Middle Eastern cigarette.
Fatah Palestinian faction founded by Yasser Arafat in the late 1950s. The word is both the Arabic for 'victory' and an acronym for 'The Movement for the National Liberation of Palestine'.
Fellaha (pl. fellaheen) Peasant.
Frumm Yiddish word meaning 'strict in religious observance'.
Gaddis, Attaia Famous Egyptian photographer. Lived 1887–1972.
Gaiseric King of the Vandals AD 428–477. Sacked Rome in AD 455.
Garden Tomb Site considered by some to be the burial place of Christ.
Gebel Dosha Archaeological site in northern Sudan.
Gefilte fish Traditional Jewish dish of boiled fish balls.
Goldstar A make of Israeli beer.
Goldstein, Baruch Jewish extremist. Shot dead twenty-nine Muslim worshippers in Hebron in 1994 before he himself was beaten to death. Regarded as a hero by right-wing Jewish settlers.
Goy (pl. goyim) Derogatory Yiddish term for a non-Jew.
Groppi's Famous chain of Cairo coffee houses.
Gross-Rosen Nazi concentration camp in Poland.
Gush Shalom Literally, 'The Peace Bloc'. Israeli peace group.
Ha'aretz Israeli daily newspaper.
Halakhah The entire body of Jewish law, both written and oral.
Hallah A plaited loaf eaten by Jews on the Sabbath.
Hamas Militant Palestinian nationalist Islamic movement, founded in 1987. Hamas is both the Arabic for 'zeal' and a reverse acronym for 'The Islamic Resistance Movement'. Its figurehead, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, was assassinated by the Israelis in 2004.
Hanukkah Jewish festival commemorating the victory of Judah Maccabee over the Seleucid Greeks and the cleansing of the Temple.
Haram al-Sharif Literally, 'the Noble Sanctuary'. The enclosure in Old Jerusalem containing the al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in the Islamic world. Overlies the remains of the ancient Jewish Temple.
Haredi Ultra-orthodox Jew.
Hasidic A branch of ultra-orthodox Judaism.
Hawagaya Egyptian term for a foreigner.
Hazzan A cant
or. One who leads the singing in synagogue.
Hizbollah Literally, 'Party of God'. Militant Shi'ite Islamic group based in Lebanon.
Horemheb Last pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty. Ruled c. 1319–1307 BC.