The Children of the Nakba by David Calder
This based-on-a-true-story, suspenseful and explosive novel by David Calder, takes the reader right into the heart of the worst terrorist attack ever on Israeli soil. Abu Jihad, head of the Palestinian terrorist organization Fatah, and chief instigator of the Civil War raging in Lebanon, has serious problems. On the brink of exposure in an affair…
This based-on-a-true-story, suspenseful and explosive novel by David Calder, takes the reader right into the heart of the worst terrorist attack ever on Israeli soil.
Abu Jihad, head of the Palestinian terrorist organization Fatah, and chief instigator of the Civil War raging in Lebanon, has serious problems. On the brink of exposure in an affair with one of his female Lieutenants–a mistake sure to outrage the conservative Middle East leaders backing him, he’s terrified it will also set off a blood-feud with his wife’s violent relatives. And Egypt has shockingly extended an olive branch to Israel. His entire vicious empire depends on endless war between Arabs and Jews. If Israel accepts, the U.S.A. gets involved, and peace breaks out, he’ll be out of a job! All his power and prestige, not to mention his bodyguards–gone!
Jihad schemes up the perfect solution. He’ll show everyone there can be no peace in the Middle East without a homeland for the Palestinians. And be rid of his troublesome lover at the same time! He recruits a band of killers from the Lebanese War, appoints his lover one of the leaders and his best warrior as the other, and launches them on an amphibious suicide attack on Tel Aviv to sabotage the peace process.
Betrayed and abandoned in a storm, the terrorists are shipwrecked 40 miles north of their target. Determined to fulfill their mission they seize 70 hostages as human shields and charge south on a murderous rampage.
Israeli Security forces are caught flat-footed on the Shabbat. At first no-one will believe it is happening. Events are moving too fast for Israel’s elite Special Forces to come to the rescue. If falls to a makeshift force; a few Police SWAT team members, poorly armed traffic-policemen and off-duty soldiers, to defend the nation.
Can these heroes, fighting a running battle nearly the length of the country, prevent the terrorists from reaching their helpless target and wreaking unimaginable havoc?
Sound far-fetched? The backstory is literally from the front page of the New York Times.
“It Will Never End”
Five Star Review on Amazon By Scott Skipper
Israel’s problems have always been existential. In the late 1970’s Egyptian president, Anwar Sadat, grew tired of the expense of constant warfare, and offered his hand to Israel to the outrage of Palestinian terror group, Fatah. The group’s leader, who used the nom de guerre Jihad, organized a raid on a prominent Tel Aviv hotel for the purpose of forcing Israel to release terrorist prisoners and striking terror in general. One of the leaders of the suicide assault force was his mistress. Due to the treachery of a hired skipper, the terrorists put ashore many miles north of their target. To salvage at least part of their mission they hijack two busloads of Jewish tourists. The force that the Israeli authorities cobbled together to rescue the hostages and prevent the terrorists from reaching Tel Aviv resembles nothing familiar to modern Israel.
David Calder’s massive knowledge of his topic plunges the reader into the thick of the action. It is clear that Mr. Calder has walked the route taken by the ill-fated tour bus more than once and has laid hands on the gravestones of the victims. Rarely have I read a novelized account of a real event that carried me into the scene so completely. For historical insight, action and mayhem, don’t miss Children of the Nakba.
About the Author
David Calder is the author of numerous article and short stories, as well as two novels. Educated at Auckland University, as a visiting scholar at Princeton, and at Pasadena City College, he is a lifelong outdoors-man who divides his time between West Auckland, New Zealand and Southern California.