Daphne Anson: RIBA's BDS Decision Won't Be Overturned, Report States

Eretz Israel is our unforgettable historic homeland...The Jews who will it shall achieve their State...And whatever we attempt there for our own benefit will redound mightily and beneficially to the good of all mankind. (Theodor Herzl, DerJudenstaat, 1896)

We offer peace and amity to all the neighbouring states and their peoples, and invite them to cooperate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The State of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and development of the Middle East. (From Proclamation of the State of Israel, 5 Iyar 5708; 14 May 1948)

With a liberal democratic political system operating under the rule of law, a flourishing market economy producing technological innovation to the benefit of the wider world, and a population as educated and cultured as anywhere in Europe or North America, Israel is a normal Western country with a right to be treated as such in the community of nations.... For the global jihad, Israel may be the first objective. But it will not be the last. (Friends of Israel Initiative)

Wednesday, 4 June 2014

RIBA's BDS Decision Won't Be Overturned, Report States

According to a report on 30 May in the British Architects' Journal (AJ), the the Israeli Association of United Architects (IAUA) has claimed that Stephen Hodder, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), does not support RIBA's recent motion to suspend Israel from the International Architects Union (UIA):

"The IAUA and RIBA have been at loggerheads following RIBA Council’s decision in March to support ex-RIBA president Angela Brady’s call for the suspension of Israel from the UIA in protest at architects who accept commissions in the Occupied Territories.

Earlier this month [May] Hodder met with Yitzhak Lipovetsky-Lir, former president of the IAUA and its international ambassador, at Portland Place in an effort to smooth over relations between the two bodies.

After the meeting, which was also attended by RIBA international vice president Peter Oborn, Lipovetsky-Lir said: ‘He [Hodder] and vice president Oborn said they are not supporting the motion; absolutely.’

‘I felt they were caught by surprise by the way the council voted,’ he added.

The latest disclosure follows claims made by Lipovetsky-Lir, prior to his recent head-to-head with Hodder, in which he told the AJ that the UIA had already decided to ignore the RIBA motion ....

Referring to the recent meeting with Hodder, Lipovetsky said that the RIBA president had revealed the institute’s council would be holding a meeting on the 19 June and that the issue ‘would be on the agenda’...."

That the motion was based on unsound principles (or perhaps I should say "constructed on shaky foundations") has been argued ably by CiF Watch here

However, it's reported here today that Mr Hodder has said that the RIBA Council meeting to be held this month

'will not overturn the motion passed earlier this year which called for Israel to be suspended from the International Architects Union (UIA).

The next meeting will be on June 19 by which the response from the UIA is expected to have been formally made.

Hodder has put the topic on the meeting’s agenda but said this had only been done because “people will want to talk about it and we’re expecting the UIA response to come in”.

And he added: “The motion can’t be overturned. There was a motion, it was passed, it’s been actioned. To me, that’s the end of the matter. It becomes RIBA policy.” ....

Hodder added: “We can’t reverse the motion, whatever the Jewish Chronicle [see here] says.”....'

Abe Hayeem, an anti-Israel Jewish activist of Iraqi background who is a RIBA Council member and who worked with Angela Brady on the motion (he is the subject of this post on the Point of No Return blog), is quoted as saying:

“RIBA very clearly took this democratic decision at committee – a fair and equitable debate.

How is it going to be overturned it? It’s nonsense. Once a democratic decision is taken, that stands. It’s like a general election; not everyone is in favour of the result but you can’t have a petition saying ‘we don’t agree, let’s do it again’.

3 comments:

Anonymous6 June 2014 at 03:51
Not surprising that these dimwits forgot that the thing about real democracies is that elections are held periodically and governments turfed. Hopefully, this reality will be brought to their attention when RIBA holds the next general meeting and elects a new exectutive.

Er, they do hold general meetings and have time limits on terms for boards and board members, don't they?

And I expect that there could still be legal actions taken against RIBA if the motion violates the human rights of visiting Israeli architects.
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Abe Hayeem25 June 2014 at 17:56
What about the human rights of the Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank whose land is being expropriated against international law and the Geneva Conventions -all condemned worldwide and by Israeli, UN and human rights organisations. These serious breaches are considered as war crimes, with Israeli architects' participation. So who should be in the dock?
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