RIBA is right to censure Israeli architects for complicity in settlement building, say over 100 academics, cultural and political figures.

The letter in support of the RIBA, April 3rd, 2014:

“We are writing to express our support for the recent decision of the RIBA Council to move to suspend the Israeli Association of United Architects (IAUA) from the world body of architects, the International Union of Architects (UIA).  The parallel decision of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland gives this initiative great force.

We are aware of the difficulties liable to be faced by any body which voices public criticism of the Israeli government. The determination of RIBA and RIAS to take a principled stand on this issue is, in this context , particularly worthy of support. We are sure that you will face attacks – but much of it will be from predictable sources which will raise the spectre of antisemitism in response to all criticism of Israeli government policy, especially when such criticism attracts wide attention.

We understand that you have taken this action because members of IAUA have been closely involved in the design and building of illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and also in the construction of the Apartheid Wall that runs deep into the illegally occupied area. Despite previous resolutions passed by UIA on this topic, IAUA has taken no action to discipline its members who have collaborated in these breaches of international law.

Many people, Jewish and non-Jewish, architects and non-architects, will be heartened by this example of a respected body taking up its ethical and professional responsibilities in so resolute a manner.

The signatories                    (NOTE: Click here to add your name to this listgiving your credentials.) 

Peter Ahrends RIBA

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown  author, journalist

Suad Amiry                 architect, author,Palestine

Prof Mona Baker          University of Manchester

Sir Patrick Bateson, FRS.

Cezary Bednarski, RIBA

David Berridge, RIBA

Dr. Robert Boyce         London School of Economics

Angela Brady, PPRIBA

Prof Haim Bresheeth   SOAS

Victoria Brittain           author, journalist

Neave Brown RIBA

David Calder               actor

Prof Michael Chanan   Roehampton University

Julie Christie               actor

Caryl Churchill            playwright

Jeremy Corbyn, MP

Ted Cullinan, OBE,RIBA,RA

Mike Cushman             London School of Economics

Dr Les Levidow             Open University

Prof James Dickens       University of Leeds

Gil Mualem Doron,        Artist & Researcher 

Prof Laurence Dreyfus FBA    Oxford University

John Dorman  Architect, Ireland

Brian Eno                    composer

Jane Frere                   artist

Ronan Gallagher          author

Lord Tony Gifford QC

Bob Giles, RIBA

Nasser Golzari             architect

Antony Gormley          sculptor

Trevor Griffiths            playwright

Prof Colin Green          University College London

Øystein Grønning            Architect, Norway

Nadia Habash              Architect, Palestine

Hans Haenlein, RIBA

Walter Hain                 Architect

Abe Hayeem RIBA       Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine

Stephen Harte            Architect, Landscape Arch.

Tjatte Hedlund            Architect, Sweden

Prof Ted Honderich      University College London

Prof Richard Hudson FBA      University College London

Charles Jencks             architect, historian

Donna M. Joss    Worcester State University, US

Dr Ghada Karmi           University of Exeter

Adah Kay                     playwright

Peter Kennard    artist, Researcher

Sir Gerald Kaufman MP

Prof Tom Kibble FRS      Imperial College

Prof Ailsa Land              London School of Economics

Prof Frank Land            London School of Economics

Mike Leigh                    film & theatre writer director

John Lynes                   Honorary Fellow, University of Lincoln

Prof Yosefa Lishitzky

Prof Malcolm H Levitt FRS           

Prof Moshe Machover     Kings College London

Kate Macintosh, MBE      architect

Miriam Margolyes, OBE   actor

Michael Mansfield, QC

Frank McDonald,Hon.Fellow RIBA   Journalist.

Jenny Morgan                 Film-maker

China Miéville                 author

Prof David Mond             University of Warwick

Prof Laura Mulvey          Birkbeck, University of London

Hubert Murray, RIBA, AIA

Prof Karma Nabulsi         Oxford University

Oscar Samuel Margenet Nadal,RIBA

Owen O'Carroll, RIBA

George Oldham, RIBA

Uriel Orlow                     artist

Martin O'Shea, RIBA

Prof. Ilan Pappe              Exeter University, Historian

Prof David Pegg              University of York

Lord Phillips of Sudbury

Prof Malcolm Povey         University of Leeds

Jane Rendell                   UCL, Bartlett

Dan Rigamonti               Designer

Glen Robinson                Architect, ARB

Prof Jim Roche       Dublin School of Architecture, Chair, Academics for Palestine

Prof Hilary Rose              University of Bradford

Prof Jacqueline Rose FBA   Queen Mary University of London

Prof Steven Rose             Open University

Prof Jonathan Rosenhead  London School of EconomicsSave & Close

Edwin Rutledge               Architect, Germany and US

Prof Richard Seaford          University of Exeter

Prof Lynne Segal               Birkbeck College, London

Mick Scott RIBA Associate - Oxford Brookes University

Prof Tim Shallice                FRS, FAE, FBA FMedSci

Yara Sharif                         architect

Prof Avi Shlaim                   Oxford University

Prof John Smith                  artist film maker

Ahdaf Soueif                       author

Lord Steel of Aikwood

Baroness Jenny Tonge

Fida Touma                        co-Director RIWAQ, Palestine

Prof Joy Townsend

Ian Wall FRSE FRICS DSc HonFRIAS  

Lord Warner

Prof Eyal Weizman              Goldsmiths, University of London

Ben White                           author

Prof David Wield                  Open University

Oliver Willmore OBE, RIBA

Prof Tom Wooley

David Yeaman, RIBA

(NOTE: Click here to add your name to this list, giving your credentials.)