THE SELLOUT

An excerpt of my 15th thriller "A perilous deal", to be published soon.

The sellout

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani the Emir of Qatar realized at last that he was mislead by Haled Masha'al his protégé. The latter did not mislead him on purpose of course, he was simply wrong in his general evaluation of the situation in the Gaza Strip.

The Sheikh himself was a young and inexperienced man in his first year as the state of Qatar most powerful person, and he did rely on his protégé's views and illusionary belief that the Hamas military wing is able to crush the Zionist state, or by standing against the Zionist army and air force and launching hundreds of rockets on the Zionists' cities, towns and villages, to force the Zionists at least to accept Hamas's demands. His protégé was after all an experience and wise statesman; and the Sheikh shared with his protégé the deep hatred to the Zionists and did not forgive the Egyptians for ousting Mursi the previous Egyptian president, and declaring the Muslim brothers party as unlawful, and on top of it the killing of hundreds of Muslim brothers' members.

He had last night one more phone call from Mahmoud Abbas, whom he underestimated at first relying on his protégé's opinion and contempt towards the PLO chairman, and the fact that Abbas was favored by Egypt was one more good reason to despise him. But things in Gaza turned from bad to worse, and Abbas was right in his claim that the violence must be stopped. His Highness realized it in a second alarmed thought.

He asked his protégé' to join him at lunch in his palace, to discuss the worsening situation with him, and prepare him to the meeting with Abbas this very evening.

The Sheikh sat in the palace ground floor living room and read the morning papers' headlines, when his personal valet informed him that his protégé' has arrived, and is waiting in the dining room.

The Sheikh thanked him and went to the dinning with the valet in his wake.

Masha'al rose to his feet to greet his patron and they exchanged slight cheek kisses before they sat next to the table.

'Abbas called me yesterday and he must have talked with you too Haled no doubt?' The Sheikh asked him when the meal was almost over, and they were sitting over desert and coffee.

'Yes Your Highness I'd a few words with him, He told me that you approved his coming, but we know what he wants… We've heard already once his useless theories Your Highness.'

'So you haven't changed your mind yet Haled, despite the worsening situation over there.'

'No I haven't Your Highness, we've to keep on a few more days and we'll force the Zionists to accept our demands; they aren't able to stand a war of attrition.'

'What about your brothers in Gaza I mean those that lost their homes and relatives… The death toll is over two thousand dead and there're some twelve thousand wounded; while to ask your brothers in Gaza to stand on against the increased fierce Zionists air raids is easy said, from your hotel suite here in Doha.'

'You're right Your Highness, I'd rather be with my adored brother Mohammad Deif in his bunker, or sneak at the head of our brave warriors through a hell tunnel to kill as many Zionists as possible if I was younger. But if you'll allow me to note Your Highness, my stay in Doha isn't the point but keeping on our resistance, till our demands would be accepted by the Zionists is what drives me on, and I believe that it can be accomplished successfully Your Highness.'

'We'll discuss it again tonight with Abbas, and we'll hear if he has anything new to say on this critical issue… You may go now Haled I'll see tonight then.'

Well I didn't expect such a mess and such tragic results. The Sheikh thought watching his protégé's back, as the latterf was leaving the dining room on his way out.

Haled's stubbornness is turning into a burden, he behaves like a desperate gambler; he should think of other ways to carry on this conflict, some twelve hundred of the military wing members lost their lives, and plus the wounded it's almost one third of the military wing manpower…I hope we'll find some other solution to that crucial problem with Abbas tonight.

After the formal welcome ceremony at the airport, Abbas and his small entourage were driven to the Sheikh's palace. The Sheikh himself received him at the palace entrance, and after the greetings and traditional cheek kissing the Sheikh led him to the audience hall where Haled Masha'al was already seated on one of the guests' armchairs. The rest of Hamas representatives, which were invited from Egypt and Turkey, and those that were part of Masha'al's small entourage waited at the nearby guests' room came out to greet Abbas and his small entourage.

At night fall they sat to a festive dinner each person and his entourage of six men, twenty one persons all in all in the palace dining room round the Sheikh's table. The Sheikh's smiles, his good nature and the rich food, appeased somewhat the enmity and mutual contempt between the two rival groups; it encouraged the Sheikh and revived his hopes of renewed reconciliation between his protégé' and his guest.

When the rest were sitting on dessert and coffee, the Sheikh and his two prominent guests retired to his audience hall, to find a way to solve the dispute between his two guests, or to form at least a basis to reach a lasting understating between the two rivals in extended discussions during the next day.

To Sheikh's surprise the supposedly moderate Abbas attacked his protégé as soon as they sat down, accusing him and Hamas in general, to topple the PLO rule in the West Bank by force. His protégé counter attacked with mockery, abuse and contempt, while the Sheikh's attempts to calm down his two elated guests were in vain. Time passed quickly and at the first lull Abbas thanked the Sheikh for his hospitality and went out and retired with his small entourage to the same hotel where his rival was staying since he left Damscus.

'Well Haled I'm very disappointed by both of you. You should join forces and try to find a different way to fight the Zionists together and with mutual efforts.'

'Does Your Highness think that we should try a political solution?'

'Yes Haled I wouldn't be against a renewed ceasefire and talks, even if the talks' resumption will take place in Caro again…'

'I've thought of that possibility too Your Highness, but there's no chance to accomplish such a move, not during the next few weeks…'

'I don't understand your hesitations Haled, you're Hamas supreme leader! If you'll decide to change your tactics and your organization's policies, all you've to do is to order it.'

'It isn't that simple Your Highness, if I'll issue such an order I'm not sure that it will be obeyed…'

'Do you want to tell me that there're subordinates of yours, which may disobey your orders? Is it because you're here in Doha, away from the fighting front?'

'No Your Highness where I'm staying is irrelevant; it's our military wing's leader. He's the sole authority in Gaza. I've sent him messages several times and his answers were always "yes sir", but he acts according to his obsessive whims and not according to my instructions.'

'Is it that cripple that turned into a living myth? Then call him right now and threaten him that if he'll disobey you one more time you'll fire him!' The Sheikh retorted raising his voice.

'But if I'll call him Your Highness I'll expose is whereabouts to the enemy…'

Then call him and get rid of him, and call him repeatedly several times to make sure they'll find exactly where he is, your enemies. For he's your enemy too!'

© Haim Kadman August 22^nd 2014 �" all rights reserved.