Israeli Architecture Association Faces Ban From International

[Purveyor]

Royal Institute of British Architects proposes boycott of Israeli Association of United Architects' over Palestinian settlements

Harriet Sherwood
theguardian.com, Thursday 20 March 2014 13.01 EDT

Britain's leading architectural association has called for its Israeli counterpart to be excluded from the International Union of Architects in protest at Israel's occupation of Palestine, in a further indication of the growing momentum of the boycott movement.

The Royal Institute of British Architects (Riba) has demanded the suspension of the Israeli Association of United Architects (IAUA) from the international body, saying it is complicit in the construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and other violations of international law.

Riba's president, Angela Brady, told a meeting of the its council on Wednesday that failure to back the motion "would send a clear message to the world that we as an institution turn a blind eye or by inaction support what's going on – land grabs, forced removals, killing the state and human rights, and reinforcement of apartheid".

But other council members pointed to human rights violations in other parts of the world, such as North Korea, which is a member of Riba. "Don't you think architects are designing prison camps and torture chambers there?" asked one council member, Francesca Weal.

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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/20/israel-architecture-association-ban-international-forum-palestinian-settlements