Architects against Israeli occupation

With the settlement freeze over, international architects must take action to end illegal construction in the West Bank

Abe Hayeem
guardian.co.uk, Monday 4 October 2010

"In deciding to back the boycott of Ariel theatre in the West Bank, Frank Gehry, the Canadian-American architect of Guggenheim fame, joins a growing body of professionals who are making a stand against the illegal settlements. Ariel, a quintessential illegal settlement, is continually expanding to fit the over-generous boundaries staked out over Palestinian land, choking the development of Palestinian villages nearby. Its new state-funded cultural centre, 20 years in the construction, is due to open in November.....

The international solidarity movement has decided that the best way to change Israel's behaviour is to take actions against Israeli companies and institutions in order to put pressure on the government there. Last year, as the result of a campaign led by APJP, Pacbi and universities in Europe, Spain disqualified architecture students from the "Ariel University Centre of Samaria" (sic) from a competition to build a solar house in the Solar Decathlon in Madrid. "Spain acted in line with European Union policy of opposing Israel's occupation of Palestinian land," a Spanish official said.

Since little seems forthcoming from the Israeli architects' body, despite appeals over the last decade, the responsibility falls on architects worldwide and the UIA to press for action to end this complicity, and defend the ethics and humanity of their profession."