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| British architects form anti-Israel group
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Lord Richard Rogers, world famous architect behind the Millenium Dome and the Pompidou Centre in Paris
Photo: Richard Rogers
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A group of leading British architects have come together to form an organisation aimed at embarrassing Israel into halting the building of settlements and the construction of the West Bank security barrier.
The professionals, who have called themselves Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine, met for the first time last weekend hosted at the offices of Lord Rogers, the architect behind the Millenium Dome and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.
Following Friday’s meeting, which was revealed by the Independent newspaper, the group released a declaration, blaming all those involved in the design and construction of the barrier and settlements for perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The statement read: "We hold all design and construction professionals involved in projects that appropriate land and natural resources from Palestinian territory to be complicit in social, political and economic oppression and to be contrary to internationally acceptable professional ethics."
No tactics decided
According to local reports, the group have not yet decided on specific tactics but a industry-wide boycott is being discussed.
Architect Abe Hayeem, one of the founders of the organization explained that the group’s aims are "to encourage local and international activity to bring an end to the occupation, and particularly to the establishment of the settlements and the separation fence, as well as the unchecked destruction of historical values in the cities of the West Bank, and the destruction of infrastructure."
Architectural critic Charles Jenckes told the Independent: "There reaches a certain point where an architect can’t sit on the fence. Not to stand up to it would be to be complicit."
Describing the barrier as "a contorted, crazy, mad, divisive, drunken thing”, Jenckes added: “In 10 years’ time its builders will see it as a great folly. Architecturally it is madness. I understand fully that security is the problem for Israel and they have the right to protect themselves. But this is not the solution.”
Israeli condemnation
 This is not the proper moment to boycott Israel. People who believe in peace, as they do, should be trying to encourage dialogue and negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians
| The plans drew immediate condemnation from Israeli officials. A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in London said: "Whoever supports a just solution should refrain from any manner of boycott. It just puts more obstacles in the way of reconciliation in our region. If these people care about the Palestinian cause they should help to build bridges not destroy."
And chair of the Israel Architects’ Association, architect Yitzhak Lir, added: "I am surprised that such well-known architects are taking such an extreme position at this time.
“This is not the proper moment to boycott Israel. People who believe in peace, as they do, should be trying to encourage dialogue and negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians."
The group’s formation came less than a week after the Anglican church voted to implement a policy of divestment in Israel. At the weekend Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams wrote to British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in an attempt to diffuse any conflict between the Church and the Jewish community.
In the letter Williams the vote for divestment, which he had supported, indicated general unease over profiting from a “controversial security policy” but was “emphatically not to commend a boycott, or to question the legitimacy of Israel and its rights to self-defence”.
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