Traveller Manifesto
58. Israel - Today

Israel – Today.

They managed to enter Israel only after the objectionable Customs officer was overruled through the intervention of a phone-call from Israel’s diplomatic corps. They wheeled their bags through the entry gates as more than one of the security officers glared after them.

Not that the glares bothered Hurley in the slightest. He turned to Osborne, who had joined the rest of the team at the Istanbul International Airport, for Professor Taylor insisted they arrive into Israel as a team. The academic had flown from London with Hurley, to meet Leishman, Morris, and Zak Chandler from New York. Also joining them was the team’s representative from the United Nations, Valeria Garcia, from Spain.

Most potentially problematic was the inclusion of a British film crew. The team of six included two camera operators, sound crew and a producer.

“Think they like us?” asked Hurley with a smile.

“Do they like anyone?” replied Osborne.

“Someone high up certainly doesn’t like us,” added Leishman. “I’m surprised they even let us in.”

They were met by a driver of a luxury minibus by which they were driven from Tel Aviv to the historic American Colony, the luxury hotel often used by diplomats staying in the heart of Jerusalem. Like most tourists, they promptly made their way to the ancient sites in and around Old Jerusalem. The impressive great walls of the ancient city encompassed a place Hurley felt was the most volatile on Earth. Jerusalem gave the impression that the rest of the world was in orbit around this dusty place that all Christians, Muslims and Jews considered holy.

They followed Christian pilgrims who swarmed in guided tours through the narrow alleys as they thronged souvenir stalls overflowing with magnets, crucifixes and fake crowns of thorns. The gates to the Al Aqsa Mosque, a most sacred location for all of Islam, were shut. A visibly upset Arab man had been turned away from his desire to worship. As he walked away, head bowed, they asked why the gates had been shut. He simply shrugged. “Because they can,” he replied bitterly. “That is what they do!”

Heavily armed police, dressed in black, stood guard. One young woman in a hijab objected to the arbitrary closure of their place of worship, so one of the police stepped forward and pushed her in the face. She staggered backwards and, eyes wide at the violence, placed her hands over her face and began to cry.

“What’s that about?” asked Zak, shocked.

One of the police, a muscular young man carrying an automatic weapon and dressed in bullet-proof jacket adorned with tear gas canisters, curtly gestured them to move on. Meanwhile, a young Arab lad made a howl of objection, so another of the police grabbed him by the shirt and, with a growl, threw him to the ground.

“Time to go,” advised Osborne, who looked frustrated and angry.

Leishman, who had never before visited Jerusalem, raised his eyebrows in disappointment and agreed with a sharp nod. They departed through the crowds in their familiar patrol format, with the soldiers surrounding and guiding Professor Taylor, Valeria, and Zak in the group’s protected centre. Guided by Professor Taylor, they made their way to a restaurant where a tour-group was noisily departing. The pious, middle-aged English women were infected with zeal brought on by their presence in this sacred location which was doubtlessly the realisation of a lifelong dream. One or two of the women glanced to the faces of the men as they passed, knowing they were familiar, but unsure why.

Settled into a corner, Morris looked to the menu on the wall and ordered a range of local dishes.

Unable to withhold himself, Professor Taylor spoke quietly. “Israel, it never changes,” he murmured as he shook his head. “Remember, most Israelis don’t agree with this violence. Most Jews worldwide don’t agree with this.”

“Why are we even here?” asked Osborne. “I have better things to do than put up with this shit.” Hurley thought Osborne looked fit and well, much better than when they had met in England before Byzantium Traveller. He heard the rumours that he had a girlfriend and hoped it was true. His friend deserved such happiness.

“Agreed,” replied Zak, “but we have to determine the status of this Transporter that we are certain is located to the south.”

“But this doesn’t make any sense,” added Morris. “What good will a Transporter do? You send Travellers back a thousand years and there wasn’t a lot here. Nothing but desert and a few villages. We know that.”

“Right,” added Leishman. “I mean, if they could travel back 3000 years it might have an effect, because Travellers would then be able to have a look at Biblical times, with all of the prophets and such. They could be in the position to determine what is true and right compared to modern belief systems.”

“Wouldn’t that be something,” smiled Valeria. She was a pleasant, classy woman who had smile lines at the corner of her eyes.

“Yes, wouldn’t it,” replied Professor Taylor almost dismissively. “But we can’t. This is all about power and the manipulation of the truth to manage political ends. The saddest thing is that even Archaeology is now being used as a weapon against the Palestinians. Remember, especially here, the stories you tell can have a significant impact on those who live here. A case in point can be seen in an archaeology theme park close to where we sit. It might be worth a visit. It’s operated by an organisation called Ir David Foundation, commonly known as Elad. It’s a Jerusalem-based, Israeli association which aims to strengthen the Jewish connection to Jerusalem and create a Jewish majority in Arab neighbourhoods of East Jerusalem. The aim is to renew the Jewish community in the City of David. There was a treaty to allocate East Jerusalem to the native Palestinians, but with the US placement of their embassy in Jerusalem, who even listens to treaties anymore?”

Valeria gave the academic a sharp, reproving look, as if such opinions were to be kept to himself.

“As you know, the City of David is the biblical city of Jerusalem captured by King David over 3,000 years ago,” continued the Professor Taylor. “The theme park is all propaganda, of course. It’s about proving this is their land, the land of the true Jews, not anyone else. It helps justify the various settlement agendas for East Jerusalem and, indeed, the West Bank.”

“We have to be careful about those kind of comments,” advised Valeria with a frown and a shake of the head. “When it comes to the politics of this region, we must remain silent. The UN can’t be seen to be partisan.”

Osborne looked to Hurley and gave a frown and shake of his head. “I’m going to move the conversation away from that, if I may,” he gently interjected. “I was recently in Konya and had a discussion with a Professor of History. He was, of course, excited about the research that we’ve been fortunate to engage in with the Transporter. Now, get this,” he leaned forward to speak quietly, causing the other members of the team to also lean forward. “He asked why nobody has thought to take a Transporter through the Area of Convergence, to take a second device back into time. There, one could set up a second Transporter and then Travel back 2000 years.”

“Shit! Of course,” agreed Morris. “You think that would work? If there’s one pirated Transporter here, there’ll probably be more than one!”

“Fucking brilliant Ozzy!” exclaimed Hurley. “If two, then what about three, or four?”

“Pushing Travellers back into times that would make it really worth visiting here,” confirmed Valeria. “This would justify why they take such a risk. Maybe it’s more than knowledge and prestige. Maybe they hope to prove the underlying tenets of Jewish faith and the Zionist justification of their settlement of Israel, and even beyond.”

“Making history work for them,” nodded Zak.

Professor Taylor shook his head in wonder. “You’re right! Why didn’t I see this sooner? But it doesn’t make sense,” he added with a frown. “Professor Cowen knows better than this. The ramifications of his research could set the cat amongst the pigeons. He’s walking down an incredibly dangerous path if he thinks using the Transporter will confirm any theories of divine entitlement to this or any other land.” He tapped the tabletop in emphasis as he analysed his colleague’s logic. “He must be consumed with his desires to research more than anyone, more than I, of course. You might think this a strange motivation, but you have to know the members of the quorum of Historical Research International and the board of Transporter Corp to see the logic. They are extremely motivated to rise to the top of the academic ladder.” He paused and shook his head again. “But research isn’t about proving something right or wrong. What if his replaceings don’t gel with modern belief systems? Nothing we’ve found in our Traveller missions has agreed with anything we have today. Believe me, you think the religious world has screamed bloody murder at the latest research replaceings I’ve revealed. The most explosive documents have not even been released yet! But this isn’t about upsetting a few academic sacred cows. Here, right here!” he poked the tabletop with his finger, “is the basis of world religious conflict and power. By proving anything, I concede Professor Cowen will become the most famous historian of all time. But, what if he proves nothing. What if it’s more complex than even we can imagine, that, like Leishman’s experience, nothing can be categorically proved? Any lack of evidence could also indicate that any accepted accounts from the Bible may not be true.”

“What will that then mean to Judaism, Christianity and Islam?” asked Leishman, soberly.

“So, one Transporter, back to around 1000AD, which is sweet fuck all,” continued Osborne as he ticked off his fingers. “Two Transporters, to Roman …, what is it called?” he asked.

“Judaea,” replied Professor Taylor.

“To Roman Judaea. Three Transporters, what? Back to around 1000BC?” asked Osborne. “What’s there?”

“The era of King David,” sighed Professor Taylor. “Dear God!”

“David, King of the Jews and father of King Solomon,” confirmed Leishman.

“Yes, Solomon was the builder of the great Temple,” continued Professor Taylor. “A group of Travellers should be able to establish the presence of King David in Jerusalem without too much effort.”

“And, what if they have four Transporters?” asked Morris. “What is around 2000BC?”

“Abraham, the father of Christianity, Judaism and Islam,” replied Professor Taylor quietly.

“Whew,” exclaimed Hurley, impressed. “That’s a hell of a mission. Four Transporters will take them back to, when, the Bronze Age isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is a brilliant and audacious plan,” conceded Professor Taylor. But he looked worried.

“Would that be safe?” asked Valeria.

Zak shrugged, “Sure. Can’t see why not. Using two or three Transporters is a good idea actually. It might cause us to rethink the potential for future Traveller missions.”

“Agreed, but that’s not the most important issue here,” responded Professor Taylor quietly.

They paused in their conversation as platters of food arrived. Once the friendly waiter left, the academic continued. “What if he replaces nothing?” he asked.

Valeria shook her head, as if stunned. “Oh dear God!”

Leishman had also paled. “Imagine, replaceing nothing,” he continued. “If there is no temple in Jerusalem, if the Travellers discover different ruling peoples, then the Bible and the Jewish scriptures …”

“Are nothing but traditional tales with no historical validity,” confirmed Professor Taylor with a nod.

“What does that mean for here?” asked Zak.

“A powder keg, old son,” replied Hurley with a grimace. “If any replaceings like that were ever made public, this place, indeed the world, will become a fucking powder keg.”