A Civilian Occupation: The Politics of Israeli Architecture

by Rafi Segal (Editor)

Bringing together essays and photographs by leading Israeli practitioners, and complemented by maps, plans and statistical data, A Civilian Occupation explores the processes and repercussions of Israeli planning and its underlying ideology. It demonstrates how, over the last century, planning and architecture have been transformed from everyday professional practices into strategic weapons in the service of the state, which has sought to secure national and geopolitical objectives through the organization of space and in the redistribution of its population. In fact, as the book shows, Israeli architecture has consistently provided the concrete means for the pursuit of the Zionist project of building a national home for the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. As such, it is the first study to supplement the more familiar political, military and historical analysis of the Israel-Palestine conflict with a detailed description of the physical environments in which it is played out.

The banning of the first edition of this book by its original publisher was proof, if any were needed, that architecture in Israel, indeed architecture anywhere, can no longer be considered a politically naive the politics of Israeli architecture is the politics of any architecture.

Genres: Architecture, Politics, Nonfiction, History, Urbanism

187 pages, Hardcover

First published November 27, 2003

Reviews

[Luna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What resonated with me the most was the arguments about architecture is very politically influenced and has become a means of restricting people from returning to their homeland. The erection of physical structures prohibits people from returning home -- and that's exactly what the Zionists did. They conquered, built new structured, changed the entire landscape so that Palestinians would not recognize their homeland and could not practice their ancestral agricultural practices when/ if they'd be allowed home again... Thoroughly enjoyed the critiques presented in the book, illustrations, and photos.

[Anmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly details just how meticulous and superficial every aspect of Israeli occupation really is. Just a fantastic read, especially for those in the architecture field who believe our work can ever be apolitical. Architecture is right beside the missiles and shotguns in Israel's arsenal to colonize Palestine; Israeli architecture is first and foremost a weapon to advance the occupation, even when it results in incredibly inconvenient architecture. I found myself constantly oscillating between horror at how calculated Israel is, my eyes welling up, and just pure fury (as I do with most of the things I read about Israel)

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

recommended reading for anyone curious about the geography of israel and palestine, but in my opinion the writing was better when it first appeared on opendemocracy.org, where it is still available for free. the book winds up feeling more theoretical and pendantic and academic than the short installments found on opendemocracy, each feeling pragmatic and necessary and grounded in ethics in its own right, some of the most compelling architectural commentary i have read

[Ahmad · Rating 4 out of 5]

a critical, brave and daring work