Eyal Weizman dissects the architecture of genocide

British-Israeli architect Eyal Weizman has penned a new book titled "Ungrounding: The Architecture of Genocide," which examines the role of architecture in the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Weizman, a professor at Goldsmiths University in London, has previously authored books such as "Hollow Land: Israel’s Architecture of Occupation" and "Forensic Architecture."

Weizman's latest work builds upon his previous investigations, particularly those conducted by his architecture collective Decolonising Architecture (DAAR) and his investigative agency Forensic Architecture. These projects have examined state violence and human rights abuses, often presenting their findings before courts and international bodies.

In "Ungrounding," Weizman delves into the physical and political structures that underpin Israel's occupation, drawing on his agency's investigations in the Gaza Strip and material supporting South Africa's case against Israel before the International Court of Justice.

The book is divided into three sections: "Soil," "Subsoil," and "Ungrounding." The first section, "Soil," focuses on the British Mandate era and the 1948 Nakba, exploring the transformation of southern Palestine through the lens of the villages of Ma'in Abu Sitta and Nirim. Weizman highlights how the Israeli establishment used agriculture and physical markers like plough lines to erase the traces of Palestinian life and create a new military geography.