Yasmine by Eli Amir

Author:Eli Amir [Amir, Eli]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781905559411
Google: ntBqKdYyXXkC
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 16621527
Publisher: Halban
Published: 2005-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

The conversation was lively and flowed easily. Professor Shadmi and Dr Dovrat talked at length about ancient times, the growth of the myths around Moses, Jesus and Mohammed, as well as what united and separated the three religions.

Then the talk switched to discussion of the British Mandate, an era of which many echoes remained – and I was surprised by the change in attitudes. In its time the British Mandate was seen as rule by an alien colonial power that took over the country and held on to it, until driven out by force. Now, in retrospect they viewed the Mandate as an orderly, even enlightened, regime which had laid down social norms, implemented regulatory laws and even promoted cultural and aesthetic values – for example, the statute that all Jerusalem buildings be faced with stone. I wondered if the Arabs would ever change their perception of us – would we be remembered as an enlightened regime that promoted progress, rather than an alien occupier?

Abu Nabil and Abu Shalbayyeh tried to divert the conversation to the present. Abu Shalbayyeh referred everyone to a series of articles he’d written, in which he called for a Palestinian state in the occupied territories.

Those of us who represented the authorities naturally avoided discussing the current situation. Abu George did the same, choosing to speak about Professor Shadmi’s great concordance project at the Givat Ram campus, and the ancient manuscripts which were kept at the National Library. I worried that Abu Nabil would again make sly digs at the professor, but this time the crude mockery was replaced by a friendly spirit and obvious respect. He mentioned the recent discovery of centuries-old Hebrew Bibles, and of course offered to use his connections to enable “our Abu Mehammed”, aka Professor Shadmi, to examine them himself.

The next course consisted of a steaming roast lamb, served up on an enormous tray. A waiter carved the meat skilfully with a large knife, then removed the lamb’s tongue and laid it on a bed of chopped parsley on a plate in front of the host. Abu George rose, came up to me with the plate, sliced off a piece of the tongue and said, “Nuri, my brother, it is our custom that the host feeds the guest of honour the tongue of the lamb,” and he fed me the slice with his own hands.

I was unfamiliar with the custom and for a moment felt that the piece of tongue was going to stick in my throat, but seeing the joy on my host’s face I suppressed all my reservations. Just take it easy, I said to myself, you’re a guest and this is an honour. Yasmine’s eyes were on me, twinkling mischievously, and I swallowed the meat as if passing a test, and felt a hot blush rising to my face.

Abu George went back to his seat and the waiters served everyone slices of roast lamb, Pe’era trying in vain to make the professor keep to his diet. The final course was fruit, including figs and watermelon, followed by sweet pastries and black coffee.

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