Exodus - Leon Uris [269]
Ari regretted having spoken sharply to Remez. Yes, the decision to remain in Safed took tremendous courage. “Go on back, Remez. Try to keep things calm. You can count on Major Hawks to keep it from getting out of control. In the meantime I’ll give you a priority on everything I get.”
When they were gone Ari sat down and gritted his teeth. What could he do? Perhaps he would be able to send fifty Palmach troops when the British left. It was little better than nothing. What could anyone do? There were two hundred Safeds all over Palestine. Fifty men here, ten men there. If Kawukji, Safwat and Kadar knew how desperate the situation was they would be making frontal assaults all over Palestine. There just wasn’t enough ammunition to stop sustained and determined attacks. Ari feared that the first time the Arabs tried one and learned how meager the Jews’ arms were, it would become a stampede.
David Ben Ami came in from an inspection tour of the northernmost settlements.
“Shalom, Ari,” David said. “I met Remez and Sutherland on the road. Remez looks a little green around the gills.”
“He has plenty of reason. Well, did you find anything interesting?”
“The Arabs have started sniping at Kfar Giladi and Metulla. Kfar Szold fears the Syrian villagers may try something. Everyone is dug in, all defenses built around the children’s houses. They all want arms.”
“Arms ... what else is new? Where is the sniping coming from?”
“Aata.”
“Good old Aata,” Ari said. “When the British leave it’s going to be my first objective. When I was a boy they tried beating me up when I went to get the grain milled. They’ve been looking for a fight ever since. It is my guess that half of Kawukji’s men are crossing over through Aata.”
“Or Abu Yesha,” David said.
Ari looked up angrily. David knew it was a sore point.
“I have reliable friends in Abu Yesha,” Ari said.
“Then they must have told you the irregulars are infiltrating through there.”
Ari did not answer.
“Ari, many times you have told me that my weakness is allowing sentiment to cloud my judgment. I know how close you are to those people, but you’ve got to go up there and make the muktar understand.”
Ari got up and walked away. “I’ll have to talk to Taha.”
David picked up the dispatches from Ari’s desk, scanned them, and dropped them. He paced beside Ari, then stood looking out of the window in the direction of Jerusalem. A wave of moroseness washed over him.
Ari slapped him on the shoulder. “It will work out.”
David shook his head slowly. “Things are getting desperate in Jerusalem,” he said in a doleful monotone. “The convoys are having more and more trouble getting through. If this keeps up they will be starving in another few weeks.”
Ari knew how the siege of his beloved city was affecting David. “You want to go to Jerusalem, don’t you?”
“Yes,” David said, “but I don’t want to let you down.”
“If you must, of course I’ll relieve you.”
“Thanks, Ari. Will you be able to manage?”
“Sure ... as soon as this damned leg stops acting up. See here, David ... I don’t want you to leave.”
“I’ll stay until you are fit.”
“Thanks. By the way, how long since you’ve seen Jordana?”
“Weeks.”
“Why don’t you go up to Gan Dafna tomorrow and look over the situation? Stay up there a few days and take a real good look.”
David smiled. “You have such a nice way of persuasion.”
There was a knock on the door of Kitty’s office.
“Come in,” she said.
Jordana Ben Canaan entered. “I would like a word with you if you are not too busy, Mrs. Fremont.”
“Very well.”
“David Ben Ami is going to come up and inspect the