Translated to the Arabic 'Les Échelles du Levant' (Ports of Call, 1997), by the French-Lebanese writer Amin Maalouf. Ossyane, a young Lebanese man and his Jewish wife Clara return to live in Haifa after World War II. Just as war breaks out in the new-born state of Israel, Ossayne is forced to go to Beirut. The border with Israel closes behind him and he becomes separated from his wife with tragic consequences.