Martyrs Crossing

Amy Wilentz

What happens when duty and humanity collide? This book involves such a conflict, and the affects ripple through those directly and indirectly involved. An interesting look into a world where the politics is everything and reality counts for little if facts cannot be somehow manipulated for a political purpose, harking back to the "my country right or wrong" approach - but when there are two countries involved, with two peoples that share 6,000 or more years of intertwined history, there is a lot of baggage in the way. On a bleak winter day, a suicide bomber has struck Jerusalem and the border crossings between Jewish and Arab areas have been closed. Ari Doron is a soldier in command at the Shuhada checkpoint – Shuhada being Arabic for Martyr - the Martyrs' Crossing. A cold rain falls as people are turned back, forcibly if necessary, from crossing the barrier on the Ramallah Road between Ramallah and Jerusalem. Marina, clutching her son Ibrahim, does not have the luxury of turning back. She struggles to reach the crossing without being trampled or shot, and after sitting outside the border post in the rain for an extended period, finally gains entrance to the shelter with Ibrahim, her two year old son. In addition, there is a Palestinian lawyer that has also gained access to the shelter. Ibrahim has severe asthma – and his latest attack could not have been more ill timed. Complicating the crossing, Marina's husband is in jail on charges of terrorisism. She pleads her case to get to the hospital where specialty care is available. Ari follows the chain of command, in spite of the obvious distress of Ibrahim, and contacts his superiors in the military on secure, private lines, attempting to get permission to let her pass. The delay is too long, and Ibrahim dies as he is put into an ambulance that was intended to be used for a wounded Israeli soldier. Ari is hounded by guilt at not taking action rather than asking permission. His superiors are covering up. He tries to locate the number he called in an attempt to deal directly with the issue of the delay. When he finally does, he belately recognizes the person that did not allow quick passage, and it is the same person 'spining' the situation in the media. The politicians in Ramallah are stoking the chant “find the soldier”. Marina and her father both know Ari's identity, but do not use the information or give it to her uncle, a political hack with ties to "the Chairman", as the information is too volatile. If Ari has an ‘accident', her husband may never be released. The event at the Martyrs' Crossing is used as leverage to release Marina's husband - and there is a hint that Ari's contact up the chain of command may have used the release to keep Ari in line - preventing him from talking to the media or making a scene with the family. But the word gets spread anyway, with the lawyer telling Marina's uncle and husband. Ari, however, in spite of the risk, does visit Ramallah to speak separately with Marina and her father. Events spin out of control at the end, manipulated by politicians that don't care a whit about people, only power, perception and control. This book explores shades of gray. My only mild criticism of this book is that I might have ended it a few pages earlier, leaving a bit more ambiguity to the ending(s).