Systemic violence : the built environment in Israeli occupied Palestinian territories

Abstract

Systemic violence may take many forms and use numerous media outlets. A case whereby it was, and still being used, as a mode to coerce and intimidate locals, is in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel. Thus, to understand the historical, socio-political and geopolitical background of this occupation, a brief overview is required. Such an overview maps out the expansion of the geography notable to the post Second World War period. This research takes a qualitative approach referencing professional sources dedicated on shedding light at the background of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict and its progression through the years – notably the systemic expansion of the illegal Israeli settlements, annexations, and other modes of violating the Palestinian landscape, and their rights to self-determination- which is imperative to the theme of this research as it forms the foundations of the present-day reality. The study addresses questions pertaining to the role of architecture and changes in the Built Environment of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The International Humanitarian Law which the Israeli government is actively breaching through land grab, and the establishment of different typologies of settlements and other means of violations on Occupied Territories. Critical to the discussion will be Salvoj Žižek ideas on violence. It will focus on architectural and urban design as a medium to “contain separation and exert control” (Weizman, 2014). The erection of barriers or thresholds, the forced expulsion of locals from occupied lands to make way for new housing and other built infrastructure designed for Israelites and the establishment of Jerusalem as the national capital will be addressed. by drawing out information from research papers, publications and journals conducted by Local NGOs and Humanitarian bodies, the Israeli’s violations within the Occupied Territories are highlighted. This research focuses on two case studies, the Palestinian village of Burqah and the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, located in the West Bank of the OPT (occupied Palestinian Territories). Drawing out the different repercussions on the Israelis and Palestinians; the former is provided with security, settlement, opportunity for expansion, control over resources, and the right to statehood. On the other hand, the latter is deprived and denied the fourth mentioned rights, affecting their levels of life, wellbeing, and rights of self-determination, through a weaponization of the built environment, a sense of hostility is experienced by Palestinians on their own land, through systemic (structural) violent means.