Security or Segregation

In Lethal Theory by Eyal Weizman, architecture is the weapon and there is a notion of border-less structure and transparency. In Sorkin’s Against the Wall, architecture is a symbolized statement used to overpower another. The architecture in this context is none other than the essential wall, yet again. When a line is drawn to nominate a partition and area, the wall is the structure to realize the line. The West Bank Wall does just this. It is making a silent yet violence statement against the Palestinians. Built by the Israelis, the West Bank Wall is claimed by the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu to have been built for security reason referring to the past Palestinians suicide bomber attacks into the country , dreading more to kill the Israeli civilians (Sorkin, Pg11). What in fact that the wall stands for is not merely security. Israeli on contrary is putting on a psychological forces into the Palestinian Land, ironically breaching the latter’s security in various manners. ‘Security’ and protection maybe for Israel but for the Palestinians, the 8-meter high wall is not only the matter of demarcation or delineation between the two countries but to enormously implicate against them of segregation, isolation, and an apartheid. These implications affect the Palestinians in so many ways; – contained in their own country, observed closely from the panopticon as if their land is a prison and that they are on the wrong side of the wall, land ownerships have been forcefully stripped off from them, losing properties, jobs, education, family members and most importantly freedom and the right to not be dehumanized in your own country. Supplies are limited and often filtered by the Israeli force.

So what are the reactions from the Palestinians? The big structure is put up in the parameter of their neighbour’-now-enemy land, making it an official national project. With less power and limited supplies, it is almost impossible to destroy or ‘move through the massive wall’ (Lethal Theory, Weizman). The line that divides the two nations still remains in between them, and the wall as aforementioned is located within the Israeli border. The invasion here does not to be physical to create an impact to the other side of the wall. The violent forces, may it be physical or psychological could solely harm one side of the wall.

Nurulain Mohd Noor

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