The Haj - Leon Uris [209]
‘Why can’t we assassinate these refugee dogs?’ Ali Rahman demanded.
Fawzi Kabir rested his belly on his legs on the edge of his seat and politely refused the fruit bowl, a sight that gave him more than usual discomfort this morning.
‘Let us put it this way. We are guests of the Swiss. We are under their tent, in a manner of speaking. They have made a career of not getting involved in other people’s wars in order to service other people’s money. They will not permit foreigners to shoot each other in their streets. They are adamant about such details.’
‘Then we take our money elsewhere!’
‘If it were only that simple, Your Highness. They have built a great reputation for caring for money with great tenderness. Nowhere else is money so safe. We can sleep at night. This is the Swiss culture, the Swiss innovation. If we start shooting in Zurich it won’t even be a question of them throwing us out. They will. Besides that, my prince, the assassination of the refugees would create a bad image for us in the press.’
‘I do not understand what kind of idiotic press it is that is not operated by a royal family or the government.’
‘It is a terrible system, I agree, but the press is very strong in the West. They can make something out of nothing and in the end it will do our noble cause no good.’
‘A royal personage has no rights,’ Rahman grumbled.
‘Yes, Western behavior is very strange,’ Kabir agreed.
‘Well, if we cannot get rid of these refugee dogs in the time-honored manner, then let us purchase their loyalty. At least they won’t be as expensive as the other delegations.’
‘Again, a bizarre situation, my prince. Neither Charles Maan nor Haj Ibrahim is open to the bribe.’
‘What? I cannot believe that!’
‘I know, but they are very sick, obsessed men. We can probably reach Sheik Taji. A good idea to splinter him off from the other two. It would weaken their delegation tremendously. A brilliant idea, my prince.’
‘You will deal with him, then, Kabir.’
‘At once, Your Highness. However, Taji might well ask that his tribe be allowed to resettle, maybe even in Saudi Arabia.’
‘That angers me, and my grandfather will never permit it. Our golden principle is that there is to be no refugee resettlement.’
‘Yes, my prince, exactly, no resettlement. I must be free, then, to make Taji a handsome offer. Let us, say, make him a special adviser to His Majesty Ibn Saud on refugee affairs.’
‘How much?’
‘How important is it that we break them up?’
‘A hundred thousand?’ Ali Rahman ventured on the low side. ‘Dollars,’ he added quickly.
‘A hundred thousand ... sterling,’ Kabir returned.
The prince wondered to himself how much of it Fawzi Kabir would pocket. But no matter, if the investment held, it was a pittance. He nodded for Kabir to proceed.
‘Now as for the other two,’ Kabir continued, ‘let us give them credentials.’
‘Are you mad!’
‘Please let me finish. The rules of the convention are like this. Small committees made up from all the delegations will have to agree on what demands and what agenda we will present to the International Arbitration Commission. Charles Maan and Haj Ibrahim will be drowned out in these committees. Let them argue for eternity how many hairs there are on the camel’s neck.’
‘That could be dangerous. They might start conspiring with each other.’
‘Your Highness, you are the grandson of the great Ibn Saud, who is rarely out of my prayers, may Allah bless his immortal name. What are our principles? No peace with the Jews. No negotiations with the Jews. No recognition of the Jews. No return of the refugees to the Zionist entity. No resettlement of the refugees in Arab lands. Every other delegate agrees to this. We are solid. These