The Role of Architecture is furthering a Political Agenda

Rule of Stone, directed by Danae Elon, an Israel-Canada co-production, provides insight into the architectural history of Jerusalem.  Through the stories linked to the beautiful Jerusalem stone, which by law (since British Mandatory times) covers all of the buildings in the city, the viewer learns about the role of historical appropriation that architecture can play within the city.

Through the use of archival footage and interviews with architects, urban planners, and local Palestinians, the film provides a riveting story about the quarrying and chiseling of Jerusalem stone, stone that is literally part of the building blocks of the city, but which subtly covers a relentless Israeli strategy of annexation and appropriation within and around the Old City and throughout East Jerusalem.

The film introduces us to a Palestinian stonemason whose home within the quarry was demolished.  We meet architects such as Moshe Safdie, Ada Karmi and Zvi Efrat, all of whom have played roles in designing the growing city of Jerusalem.  Safdie talks about his Habitat ’67 Canadian village which was modeled on a Palestinian village.  Efrat talks about the “use of brutal force to redesign the city”.   Examples are given such as the destruction of the Mughrabi neighborhood adjacent to the Western Wall, within the walls of the Old City, and the destruction of the Mamilla slum neighborhood, adjacent to the Jaffa Gate, in order to build fancy housing which would connect East and West.  In both of these cases, political decisions have required the destruction of entire neighborhoods.  

In another instance, we see how the Jewish attempt to pretend that we have been in every corner of this land forever, leads to the incursion into the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan.  Here, a new visitor’s center called Kedem is planned, which will further the political agenda of Jewish sovereignty over all of Jerusalem.

Perhaps even more shocking is the intentional policy of forcefully guarding the demographics of Jerusalem at a 70% Jewish and 30% Palestinian ratio. This policy requires that the building of new Palestinian homes be completely stifled. No building permits are issued and therefore, when someone adds a room to their home, the municipality arrives and demands that it be demolished.

In dealing with the cruelty of building policies within the city, the erasure of history, the appropriation of land and the dispossession of Palestinians, the question is asked of Safdie, do architects have a political and ethical responsibility?

Can Jerusalem be a city for all of its inhabitants, an open city, with freedom to live and thrive for all of its citizens? According to this film, this is certainly not the direction of the authorities in Israel.

Rule of Stone (2024, documentary, 84 minutes) is available from Filmoption.