bring money and we will have something to eat..." He harmed no one. So why did he die?
It is war. That means we have to kill each other. That’s the way it is. But this person, this one individual, did he want war? That is unimportant. Of those who die in war only very few really wanted it. Those who wanted it are very rarely among the victims.
So why did he have to die? I know, there is a simple answer: he was an enemy.
A strange word. Enemy. It can mean anything. And really it means nothing at all. Think the word "enemy" and your heart fills with hate. You want to kill, to destroy. But when you see the enemy with your own eyes, you see a person - like yourself. If you get to know them, you can’t hate them any more. How would it be if all of us - the Arabic speakers and the Hebrew speakers - got to know each other? Could we still hate each other then, kill each other?
Stupid ideas. He is dead and that’s all.
Yes. Of course. Finito. But why did this poor man die? Why is his wife a widow and his children orphans? What has our fight to do with him? Is he the enemy?
* * *
We are on guard duty tonight, four men at the southern gate. Actually only two of us should be here, the other two should be patrolling the fence. Ramie is not far away. And Sukreir is very near. But we are neglecting our duties. Nothing has happened in this area since Nachshon. Why should today be any different? The Fellaheen are happy if we don’t attack them and never stick their noses outside their villages.
We are sitting at the foot of an old British water tower. Sancho has stolen some tins of Australian emergency rations from the mess hall. From pure boredom we are chewing the stone hard sweets and the dry fruit. Joker has brought some cognac which helps us to keep out the cold.
"Total bullshit," remarks Sancho between two gulps. "Here we stand like telephone poles, and the camp is so big that any stinking Arab could climb over the fence at any place."
"Bullshit!" agrees Joker. "I am going to lie down."
"That’s just what we’ll do," Sancho decides. "One sentry is enough. Every half hour we’ll change around. Me first, then Joker. Uzi third and Zuzik fourth."