that it?’
Abu Ahmid did not answer, but his silence made Husseini realize that his life alone would not be sufficient to settle his debt.
‘Is that it?’ he repeated.
Abu Ahmid began to speak, as if he had been asked to express his opinion on a philosophical matter. ‘Circumstances are so dramatic and so pressing that all of us are called upon to make our contribution. Our private lives have no significance in such a moment.’
‘Mine does. Leave me out of it. I don’t have that kind of energy any more, or the motivation behind it. I can contribute some money, if you want, but please leave me out of it. I can’t be of any use to you.’
Abu Ahmid turned towards him suddenly. ‘Your attitude could be taken as a full confession to the charge that has been hanging over your head for years: desertion! I have the power to pass judgement on you and to execute the sentence, right now, this very instant.’
Husseini felt like saying, ‘Do it, then, you bastard, and go to hell,’ but as he watched the snow dancing down in the glow of the street lamps and the myriad lights of the city glimmering in the dark mirror of the lake, what he actually said was, ‘What do you want me to do?’
Abu Ahmid began to speak in a low voice with his hand on his chest. ‘When I have told you what is about to happen, you will thank me for having sought you out, for having given you the chance to participate in such a historic moment for us and for our nation. The Zionists will finally be wiped forever from the face of this earth and the city of Jerusalem will be restored to the true believers.’
Husseini shook his head. ‘I can’t believe that you’re planning yet another bloodbath. More slaughter? More massacres? Hasn’t all the blood that’s been spilled, futilely, all these years been enough for you?’
‘This time it’s different. This time our victory is certain.’
‘My God . . . that’s exactly what you’ve said each time, and each time the defeat has been more humiliating. Look around you, Abu Ahmid. See these colossal towers? Each one of them contains more people than the inhabitants of many of our villages. Each one of them represents an economic power that is stronger and richer than a single one of our states. They are the symbol of an imperial power that has no comparison – and no competitors – anywhere in the world, equipped with weapons and instruments so sophisticated that they could listen in on our every word and hear our every breath right now, from miles and miles away. And this power does not want any changes in the current political order in our region. They don’t care about any trouble this may cause or any violations of so-called agreements.’
Abu Ahmid turned and stared at him with a strange smile. ‘It almost seems . . . as if you’ve become one of them.’
‘I have, Abu Ahmid. I’ve been an American citizen for years.’
‘Citizenship is just a piece of paper. The roots of your soul are another thing . . . something which can never be cancelled. Never. But you’re wrong in what you say. This time the battle will be on equal terms. They won’t even have the chance to deploy their potential for destruction. This time the Islamic armies will take Jerusalem by force, like in the times of Salah ad Din. We will fight hand to hand, and the men who live on the top of these towers won’t be allowed to change the outcome of the battle. This time we will win, Abu Ghaj.’
Husseini fell silent and his breath condensed into little clouds of steam as the winter air invaded the parked car. He wondered just what those words could mean: was he bluffing or did Abu Ahmid really have a trump card that he could play at the table of history? He still couldn’t believe what was happening.
He pressed on with his weak protests. ‘Do you really want to start a war? Unleash destruction on thousands or millions of human beings? I want you to know that, for me, there is no cause worth all of this. I
Abu Ahmid did not answer, but his silence made Husseini realize that his life alone would not be sufficient to settle his debt.
‘Is that it?’ he repeated.
Abu Ahmid began to speak, as if he had been asked to express his opinion on a philosophical matter. ‘Circumstances are so dramatic and so pressing that all of us are called upon to make our contribution. Our private lives have no significance in such a moment.’
‘Mine does. Leave me out of it. I don’t have that kind of energy any more, or the motivation behind it. I can contribute some money, if you want, but please leave me out of it. I can’t be of any use to you.’
Abu Ahmid turned towards him suddenly. ‘Your attitude could be taken as a full confession to the charge that has been hanging over your head for years: desertion! I have the power to pass judgement on you and to execute the sentence, right now, this very instant.’
Husseini felt like saying, ‘Do it, then, you bastard, and go to hell,’ but as he watched the snow dancing down in the glow of the street lamps and the myriad lights of the city glimmering in the dark mirror of the lake, what he actually said was, ‘What do you want me to do?’
Abu Ahmid began to speak in a low voice with his hand on his chest. ‘When I have told you what is about to happen, you will thank me for having sought you out, for having given you the chance to participate in such a historic moment for us and for our nation. The Zionists will finally be wiped forever from the face of this earth and the city of Jerusalem will be restored to the true believers.’
Husseini shook his head. ‘I can’t believe that you’re planning yet another bloodbath. More slaughter? More massacres? Hasn’t all the blood that’s been spilled, futilely, all these years been enough for you?’
‘This time it’s different. This time our victory is certain.’
‘My God . . . that’s exactly what you’ve said each time, and each time the defeat has been more humiliating. Look around you, Abu Ahmid. See these colossal towers? Each one of them contains more people than the inhabitants of many of our villages. Each one of them represents an economic power that is stronger and richer than a single one of our states. They are the symbol of an imperial power that has no comparison – and no competitors – anywhere in the world, equipped with weapons and instruments so sophisticated that they could listen in on our every word and hear our every breath right now, from miles and miles away. And this power does not want any changes in the current political order in our region. They don’t care about any trouble this may cause or any violations of so-called agreements.’
Abu Ahmid turned and stared at him with a strange smile. ‘It almost seems . . . as if you’ve become one of them.’
‘I have, Abu Ahmid. I’ve been an American citizen for years.’
‘Citizenship is just a piece of paper. The roots of your soul are another thing . . . something which can never be cancelled. Never. But you’re wrong in what you say. This time the battle will be on equal terms. They won’t even have the chance to deploy their potential for destruction. This time the Islamic armies will take Jerusalem by force, like in the times of Salah ad Din. We will fight hand to hand, and the men who live on the top of these towers won’t be allowed to change the outcome of the battle. This time we will win, Abu Ghaj.’
Husseini fell silent and his breath condensed into little clouds of steam as the winter air invaded the parked car. He wondered just what those words could mean: was he bluffing or did Abu Ahmid really have a trump card that he could play at the table of history? He still couldn’t believe what was happening.
He pressed on with his weak protests. ‘Do you really want to start a war? Unleash destruction on thousands or millions of human beings? I want you to know that, for me, there is no cause worth all of this. I
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