HAARETZ
By Esther Zandberg
May 12, 2014

The threat, albeit unrealized, to ban local professionals from the Int’l Union of Architects is another link in the chain of moves to isolate Israel from the family of nations.

South Africa during the apartheid era was the only country to be thrown out of the International Union of Architects. Will Israel be the second? This issue is now on the union’s agenda.

Last month, the Royal Institute of British Architects resolved to ask the IUA to expel the Israel Association of United Architects from its ranks until the latter organization expressed opposition to illegal construction in the occupied territories, and took action against those Israeli professionals involved in construction and planning there. RIBA called upon the IAUA to abide by the international union’s resolutions from 2005 and 2009, which condemn any act that violates the Fourth Geneva Convention (which protects civilian populations in occupied lands), including construction or development involving ethnic discrimination in illegally conquered territories.

The UIA’s upcoming congress will take place in August in Durban, South Africa, which in itself is quite symbolic. While the UIA’s agencies considered bringing up for a vote at that international event the RIBA demand to ban the Israeli architect’s association – the UIA has now decided not to do so. But even if the vote is not taking place, the damage to the IAUA – and perhaps to Israeli architects in general, regardless of their individual political leanings – has been done. The mere threat of expulsion from the UIA, an organization that’s more respected than important, constitutes yet another link in the chain of efforts to isolate Israeli society from the community of nations.

In light of the IAUA’s response to the threat of a boycott, and regarding its claim that RIBA’s intention was to “embarrass the State of Israel and cause it harm” – it would appear that the denial and silencing are continuing.

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