cartridge belts are within easy reach. An occasional colorful Egyptian rocket sails into the air. The red one on the right comes from Iraq al-Manshiyya, the green one on the left from Qubab. If they keep on like this, it will be easy to find our way. Let’s hope they continue.
Some figures wave to us from the side of the road. Palmach people who have taken position along the road. The convoy stops. The first problems with the drivers. Two trucks get stuck in a steep wadi. We swear. With every minute the chance reduces that we will be able to return during the night. If we don’t make it back today - when will we be able to? And leave is beckoning in the distance ...
Chadad, one of our best drivers, replaces the other driver at the wheel and has a go himself. The truck does not move. Ahijah talks on the radio with the commander of the convoy. We hear him dis-cussing the situation with HQ. We recognize the voice. The brigade commander in person is talking over the radio. We finally realize how important this operation is.
The order is to leave the faulty vehicles and drive on. The convoy slowly gets under way. We are used to driving fast in the jeeps. This crawling behind prehistoric trucks is getting on our nerves. A light colored strip crosses our path. Is that the Egyptian road? Yes! Two Palmach soldiers wave us through. That is the last wave. From now on we are on our own.
* * *
The tension rises. If something is going to happen, then this is the place. This is enemy territory.
But nothing happens. In Iraq al-Manshiyya the Egyptians are still having fun with their colorful rockets. Suddenly, without any warn-ing, there is a massive explosion directly in front of us. The first thought is: a shell. Instinctively I put on my steel helmet, the machine gun is ready. Where is the enemy?
Everything is quiet around us. The convoy has stopped. We are nervous and want to know what is happening. Ahijah leaves the road and drives beside the convoy toward the front. Some of the men have collected around one truck.
"Halt! Don’t move!" someone shouts at us. "You are standing in a minefield!" The jeep stands where it is. We don’t move. Some sap-pers who are attached to the convoy clear the ground ahead of us.