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Returning to Haifa: A Journey of Discovery and Identity

Aubrey Blair

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Ghassan Kanafani's novel Returning to Haifa is a powerful and moving exploration of the themes of identity, home, and belonging. Set against the backdrop of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the novel tells the story of Sa'id, a young Palestinian man who returns to his childhood home in Haifa after many years away.

Returning to Haifa

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3070 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	96 pages

Sa'id was forced to flee Haifa as a child during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. He has spent the intervening years living in exile in Lebanon, but he has never forgotten his homeland. When he finally gets the chance to return to Haifa, he is filled with both excitement and trepidation.

Upon his arrival in Haifa, Sa'id is immediately struck by the changes that have taken place in his absence. The city is now a bustling metropolis, and the Arab quarter where he grew up has been completely transformed. Sa'id feels like a stranger in his own city, and he struggles to find his place.

As Sa'id explores Haifa, he begins to encounter people from his past. He meets his old friend Khadija, who is now a successful businesswoman. He also meets his former neighbor, Miriam, who is now an elderly woman living in a nursing home. These encounters help Sa'id to piece together the events that have unfolded in Haifa since he left.

Sa'id also learns about the fate of his family. His parents were killed in the war, and his siblings are scattered around the world. Sa'id is the only surviving member of his family, and he is haunted by the loss of his loved ones.

As Sa'id's journey continues, he begins to question his own identity. He has always thought of himself as a Palestinian, but he is no longer sure what that means. He has lived in exile for so long that he feels like an outsider in both Palestine and Israel.

Sa'id's journey is ultimately a search for home. He wants to find a place where he can belong, but he is not sure where that place is. He is torn between his desire to return to his homeland and his fear of what he will find there.

Returning to Haifa is a complex and challenging novel that explores the human cost of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Kanafani's writing is both beautiful and heartbreaking, and he tells the story of Sa'id with great compassion and understanding.

The novel is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the Middle East or in the themes of identity, home, and belonging. Returning to Haifa is a powerful reminder of the human suffering that has been caused by the conflict, and it is a call for peace and reconciliation.