Returning to Haifa

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The book "Returning to Haifa" by Ghassan Kanafani... "With our own hands, we will restore the splendor of Jerusalem," he said to himself, smiling, then turned to his wife: "Do you know what a homeland is, Safiya? A homeland is where none of this happens." The story was adapted into two films, the first bearing the same title as the novel. It embodies Kanafani's longing to return to his homeland, as it largely takes place on the road to Haifa when Saeed and his wife decide to go there and visit their home, which they left behind with their infant son during the Battle of Haifa in 1948. The novel gives considerable space to the idealized concept of patriotism and citizenship, and through its narrative, it reveals the harsh circumstances that led to the tragedy of Saeed's family, presenting a different concept of homeland than what was prevalent in Palestinian discourse.