***
“Your highness, my government instructed me to present to you an idea that,” the Israeli Ambassador to Transjordan smiled, “may be beneficial to both of us.”
Emir Abdullah nodded. “Go ahead, Ambassador.”
Ambassador Weizmann continued. “As you know, we have a fairly large Arab population. About nine hundred thousand of them live in an autonomous area. Their leadership is exceptionally corrupt and is following the Jerusalem Mufti’s hateful teachings. One of their important leaders, Yasser Arafat, now deceased, was a nephew of Haj Amin al-Husseini. A short time ago their armed forces, which numbered in the tens of thousands, tried to break through our border with you and invade Transjordan.”
Emir Abdullah slightly rose from his seat. “What? You have armed followers of Haj Amin al-Husseini running around free? Is your government suicidal?” Abdullah visibly calmed himself. “I hope that none crossed the border. That would be a catastrophe.”
“No, your highness. None did. We destroyed those who attacked our border forces and deported the leadership and all their remaining armed men. We tried to negotiate with them for a peaceful agreement but to no avail – They break the agreements we reach and incessantly engage in violence.”
Emir Abdullah nodded. “You couldn’t expect anything else from disciples of al-Husseini.”
“My government is going to deport the whole population. We don’t want to harm them but we also can’t live with them. Here’s the opportunity I mentioned earlier: we know that not everyone in this group is an active murderer. We are willing to let those villagers who are peaceful immigrate to Transjordan. They will boost your population, which really needs it, and will bring with them some advances they learned from us.”
The Emir raised an eyebrow. “This is not a gift I would necessarily want. If they’ve been infected by al-Husseini’s madness they will be as dangerous to me as they are to you.”
“My government agrees, your highness, and proposes that you send your own officials to evaluate the people to determine who might be dangerous and who might bring some benefits. If you decide to take some of them we will let them decide if they want to go to Transjordan or join their brethren in exile. Those who choose emigration and who comply with our criteria will be granted emigration permits and enough funds to buy a farmstead and some livestock. They will also be permitted to take their possessions and livestock with them.”
Emir Abdullah looked slightly disgusted. “I’ve told some people in the Yishuv that they have no idea how to deal with the Palestinian Arabs. You are soft and that doesn’t go down well with Arabs.” He thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I will send several of my Bedouin to interview potential immigrants.”
Chapter 8
September 1942
“General, according to intelligence a Waffen SS group is advancing towards us from the west. I have a message from their commander, General Paul Hausser.” The adjutant handed General Zeitzler a radio message slip.
To: General Zeitzler
From: General SS Paul Hausser
By command of the Fuehrer you are to immediately surrender to me. If you do not obey this order I will have no choice but to use force to take you into custody.
Zeitzler looked grim. “Captain, I need to speak to General von Manstein.”
The field telephone line was crackling but clear enough. “General,” Zeitzler said, “a Waffen SS group is advancing on us. Their commander, Paul Hausser, wants me to surrender to him.”
Manstein was quiet for a long while. “As we have agreed, you will let him know that he has to stop his advance and contact me directly. I will do my best to resolve this matter peacefully. If this fails, are you prepared to fight and will your troops support you?”
“Sir, we are being betrayed by our own Fuehrer. Yes, we are ready to fight, though there may be Nazi loyalists among us that will become a problem.”
Fifteen minutes later General Paul Hausser received a message:
To: General Hausser
From: General Zeitzler
We will not surrender. Please contact General von Manstein.
After speaking to Manstein on the radio Hausser sent a message to Himmler:
To: Reichsführer SS Himmler
From: General Paul Hausser
I spoke to General Manstein. He refuses to give up Zeitzler or any of the others. He threatened me that if we try to use force the whole Army Group South will attack us.
Awaiting your orders.
***
Lior Lapid waited for almost twenty minutes and was becoming impatient when the door opened and a Navy Commander entered.
Lior was a respected historian. His latest book, “The History of the U.S. Involvement in Iran,” had been published less than two years earlier. He was a close friend and supporter of Amos Nir, the current Prime Minister of Israel. Amos appointed him Ambassador to the United States to “make sure that things get done the way we want them.” His immediate task was to establish trade relations with the U.S. Not being a professional diplomat he was going about his job with a directness that would have been rejected by the seasoned employees of the diplomatic corps. Being a historian helped him see Israel’s historical significance in this world without false caution or modesty.
“Ambassador, the President will see you now.”
Roosevelt was seated behind his desk and got up when Lior entered. “Ambassador, welcome to the U.S.”
“Mr. President, it is my pleasure to be here. Allow me to present my credentials.” He extended his letter of credence. Roosevelt accepted it and gave it to Secretary of State Cordell Hull who was seated in front of the President’s desk. The third person in the room was Jesse Jones, the Secretary of Commerce.
“Ambassador, please be seated. We agreed to accept your accreditation on the request of Prime Minister Churchill. He assured us that ‘Israel’ is indeed a free and independent state and a British ally against the Nazis. We’re looking forward to hearing more about Israel.”
“Mr. President, Israel is a democratic state with a President as the titular head of state and a Prime Minister as the executive. We are quite advanced technologically and have abilities that are not common. I trust you remember the doctor who treated you last year. I see that the treatment was successful and you don’t need a wheelchair anymore.”
Roosevelt nodded. “Yes, I can walk, although I still need a cane and can’t walk very far. It’s an immense improvement. I remember Dr. Brown explaining to me that you had a large number of experts from all over Europe. But how did you become independent and such an important ally of the British?”
Lior Lapid had a prepared response; the answer had to be truthful and obtuse at the same time. The Americans knew nothing of the time travel incident and Israel preferred to keep it that way for a while longer. He said, “As you know, advanced science and engineering lead to, among other things, advanced weapons. Also, don’t underestimate our fighting ability and spirit, especially since you had an opportunity to benefit from them last year.” Seeing FDR’s eyebrows lift in a question he continued, “You surely remember the warning the British ambassador gave you at the beginning of November 1941 regarding the planned Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.”
Cordell Hull shrugged. “Whatever your fighting spirit I can’t see a handful of Jews making a difference.”
Lior asked, “What do you mean by ‘a handful’?”
Hull responded, “Your total population is what, six hundred thousand?”
“No, you’re forgetting the six million we rescued from the Nazis and almost a million from the Arab countries. We are also now absorbing a couple of million Russian Jews. So we are smaller than the U.S. But science and technology are an immense force multiplier.
“Oh, before I forget, Dr. Brown gave me a package for you. He figured that you would be running out of your pills soon.” Lior put a box the size of a book on the President’s desk. “There should be enough here for another six months.
&
nbsp; “Now, since my mission here is to promote trade, can we can discuss that?”
“Please give my best regards and thanks to Dr. Brown. I also appreciate the warning about the Japanese attack. I wasn’t aware that it came from you.
“Mr. Ambassador, please give us a general understanding of what your government expects.” Roosevelt leaned back in his chair prepared to listen.
“Our expectations are quite modest. We would like to purchase some equipment, including earth-moving rigs and machining tools. Also rolled steel stock and plate.”
The three Americans looked at each other. Jones nodded, “Those are materials and equipment essential for our war effort. We would not be able to supply you with much, if at all. How do you propose to pay for your purchases?”
Lior smiled, “We hope you’ll accept good old U.S. dollars.”
“You sure you have enough funds? When I prepared for this meeting I found out that the Palestinian community is poor.”
“The State of Israel is not poor. As you know, we supply close to forty percent of all the antibiotics used in the U.S. The market is still growing and we expect to be the largest supplier of analgesics, antibiotics and many other lifesaving drugs for the foreseeable future. Your own Department of Defense is our largest customer.
“This brings me to the next issue: we would like to establish a tariff exemption for our exports, so that we would be able to sell directly to U.S. customers and bypass the British. Your consumers and the government would see a reduction in the price of our drugs.”
Roosevelt asked, “What can you sell that might be of interest to us?”
“You mean besides the drugs we’re already selling? After we settle the principles, a meeting can be set up between experts on both sides. We would like to reach an agreement as soon as possible. It would be to both our countries’ advantage.”
***
The internet was connected. The IDF communications people set up a series of digital transceivers on balloons along the Adriatic coast of Italy and into the Alps while they were working on setting up antenna towers.
Wolf Frumin received an email from Sheina:
Dear Wolf,
I spoke with Jacob last week and he told me he was on his way to Italy. Maybe you will meet.
We have good news from Noam. He has recovered from the concussion and undergone surgery to replace both knees. I have no idea how that’s possible but the doctors promise that he will be able to walk soon.
Best regards and love from your sister Esther. She arrived here a couple of weeks ago but I had no way of informing you. She is now studying at the Ben Gurion University. We share an apartment with my cousin Tzipora. Esther is attending Hebrew courses and also learning about computers and modern technology. She plans on going to medical school.
Please be careful.
Love, Sheina
Wolf thought for a moment. Jacob was with the Combat Engineers and a regiment had just arrived. It made sense that Jacob might be right here, in the valley. Since he had some time before his next guard shift Wolf walked over to the company commander’s tent. “Sir, it’s possible that my relative with the Combat Engineers just arrived. How can I check where he’s posted?”
“You can contact their headquarters directly. Look up their cell number in the network directory. If they give you grief, tell them I asked to know.”
They didn’t give him grief. Jacob was in a tent next to the headquarters, probably asleep – it was past eleven. The next day he was supposed to do some work northwest of the village of Vipiteno, which was exactly where Wolf’s company was deployed.
In the morning Wolf sat on top of his tank and examined the terrain through binoculars. It didn’t take him long to spot Jacob.
“Welcome to our Alpine resort.”
“Wolf, good to see you. I didn’t know you were deployed here. How are you?”
“I’m fine. I’m sure you haven’t had an opportunity to contact home since you left. I have an internet connection in the tank. Would you like to send email?”
“Sure,” Jacob hesitated, “but I have to finish my job first. I’ll find you in the early afternoon. Thanks.”
As it happened Jacob couldn’t make the meeting. A general alert was announced at about noon. German forces had been spotted by a drone fifty miles east of Innsbruck, which put them about 70 miles from the Brenner Pass. The work the Engineers were required to do became urgent. They worked through the night and the next day.
Jacob came to visit Wolf two days after the alert.
“Wolf, I would appreciate sending a message or two. I think that the most efficient way would be to send an email to Sheina and let her notify the rest of the family. What do you think?”
Wolf nodded. “Make it as short as you can. The connection is very slow. I’m sure that our command is using the link for their communications and they have priority.”
Jacob sent his message:
Dear Sheina,
Please let the family know that both Wolf and I are in the same area in Italy. We are fine, sitting here and waiting for the Germans to arrive.
Best regards and love to everybody.
Jacob
***
Israel’s PM Amos Nir couldn’t decide what to do about the Palestinians so he sought advice from experts: the head of the Mossad, the head of the Security Service, and a psychologist.
“As you know, the cabinet decided a while ago to send the Arabs from Judea and Samaria into the past. We anticipated a simple operation that would give the Arabs the independence they claim they want and give us peace. It didn’t turn out that way. Mazen and their leadership ordered an attack by their armed forces to breach the Jordanian border. We stopped the incursion but with a high number of casualties. After a somewhat strange legal procedure the Supreme Court allowed us to deport the leadership and fighters. A recent technological breakthrough allowed us to send them into a parallel universe so hopefully we will never hear from them again.
“I have no doubts about transporting the rest of the population but we have an old problem: the Israeli Arabs. After the recent fighting they demonstrated, burned tires and attacked Jews on roads that pass by their villages. We know that some of them are armed and ready to attack us. I need opinions.”
The head of the Mossad responded, “We need to be careful. There are several Arab villages that are generally hostile and others that are not.”
“There are a number of very hostile villages where a great majority of the population is ready to riot at a drop of a hat,” the head of the Security Service added. “There are places like Nazareth, where some are always angry but some want to live in peace. We generally don’t need to worry about the Druze and Christian Arabs.”
Amos nodded and the Security Service man continued, “I would suggest conducting polls in every Arab and Bedouin settlement with more than, say, a couple of hundred people. First, explain to them what may happen and then ask what they want. We should also present the option of emigrating to Jordan to those that have been approved by the Emir and passed by us.”
Mina Katz, the psychologist, added, “That’s not a bad idea, but we have to be careful how we word the question, or questions, and what we tell them by way of explanations. If I understand correctly we are proposing a move to an uninhabited Earth. I would present this as an opportunity for them, which it is. They get to move to a new, unpolluted, fertile and empty land where they can establish any form of government they want and claim as much land as they want. No Jews or Israeli government to oppress them. They take their houses, fields and all their possessions with them – What could be better? I don’t believe we’ll have many volunteers moving to Jordan – Why exchange one government for another, less enlightened, if they can have full independence? Some of them still remember their brutal treatment at the hands of King Hussein, Abdullah’s grandson, and will not be willing to live under the Emir.”
The head of the Security Service said, “I agree the presentation is imp
ortant, especially if we are selling them the truth. Are we going to send them to join their leadership?”
Amos Nir shook his head. “We can’t do that. When we send an area to an alternate universe an equal area from that universe replaces it. Since we don’t know where on their alternate Earth the leadership moved we might bring them back. We don’t want to. Also, I see no reason to burden the whole population with the same corrupt band of gangsters that ruled them for years. Let them choose a new leadership. At least they’ll have a chance for improvement.”
***
Jeffrey Rosen entered the office of Abraham Cahan, owner and editor-in-chief of the Jewish Daily Forward.
Cahan took off his glasses and looked at Jeffrey. “Mr. Rosen, I was expecting someone to come and explain to me what happened to our correspondent in Palestine and why we are not allowed to send anyone there. I hope you have an explanation.” Cahan put his glasses back on and looked expectantly.
“Please call me Jeff - all my friends do. The question of Palestine is a bit complicated. First let me show you something. It will take only a couple of minutes and will make all I say afterwards much easier to accept.”
“May I close the door? This is confidential. You’ll see why as soon as I start the presentation.” Jeff opened his bag and took out a large laptop computer.
Finally Jeff started a video. The short movie was entitled “Welcome to Israel.” It presented modern Israel to a potential immigrant.
Cahan said nothing during the twenty minutes it took to watch the film. When it was done he said, “Very impressive. Not believable, but an impressive cinematic achievement.”
Jeff smiled. “Would you care to closely examine the equipment?”
Cahan got up, took a magnifying glass from a drawer and examined the laptop. Jeff opened the tray and showed him the disk.
“Where do you think I acquired this equipment?”
Cahan examined it again. “I have no idea. This looks completely unfamiliar to me.”
Beyond the Shield Page 11
