The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

Lord. The government either didn't understand that or was willing to play
politics with the destiny of the only country in the world where Jews were truly
safe. His duty as a Jew superseded that, even if he'd not known it until quite
recently.
Rabbi Kohn showed up at the appointed time. Alongside him was Rabbi Eleazar
Goldmark, a tattooed survivor of Auschwitz, where he had learned the importance
of faith while in the face of death itself. Both men held a bundle of stakes and
surveyors' string. They'd make their measurements, and from this day forward a
relay of men would guard the site, eventually forcing the government of Israel
to clear the site of Muslim obscenities. An upwell of popular support throughout
the country, and a flood of money from Europe and America, would allow the
project to be completed in five years – and then no one would ever be able to
talk about taking this land away from those to whom God Himself had deeded it.
'Shit,' muttered someone behind Captain Zadin, but a turn and a look from his
commander stifled whoever had blasphemed the moment of destiny.
Benny nodded to the two leading Rabbis, who marched off. The police followed
their captain, fifty meters behind. Zadin prayed for the safety of Kohn and
Goldmark, but knew that the danger they faced was fully accepted, as Abraham had
accepted the death of his son as a condition of God's Law.
But the faith that had brought Zadin to this moment had blinded him to what
should have been the obvious fact that Israel was indeed a country too small for
secrets, and that fellow Jews who viewed Kohn and Goldmark as simply another
version of Iran's fundamentalist ayatollas knew of what was happening, and that
as a result the word had gotten out. TV crews were assembled in the square at
the foot of the Wailing Wall. Some wore the hard hats of construction workers in
anticipation of the rain of stones that surely was coming. Perhaps that was all
the better, Captain Zadin thought as he followed the rabbis to the top of Temple
Mount. The world should know what was happening. Unconsciously, he increased his
pace to close on Kohn and Goldmark. Though they might accept the idea of
martyrdom, his job was to protect them. His right hand went down to the holster
at his hip and made sure the flap wasn't too tight. He might need that pistol
soon.
The Arabs were there. It was a disappointment that there were so many, like
fleas, like rats in a place they didn't belong. Just so long as they kept out of
the way. They wouldn't, of course, and Zadin knew it. They were opposed to the
Will of God. That was their misfortune.
Zadin's radio squawked, but he ignored it. It would just be his commander,
asking him what the hell he was up to, and ordering him to desist. Not today.
Kohn and Goldmark strode fearlessly to the Arabs blocking their path. Zadin
nearly wept at their courage and their faith, wondering how the Lord would show
his favor to them, hoping that they would be allowed to live. Behind him, about
half his men were truly with him, which was possible because Benny had worked
his watch bill to make it so. He knew without looking that they were not using
their Lexan shields; instead, safety switches on their shoulder weapons were now
being flicked to the OFF position. It was hard waiting for it, hard to
anticipate the first cloud of stones that would be coming at any moment.
Dear God, please let them live, please protect them. Spare them as you spared