British architects call for banning Israel from Biennale

I agree with Yaakov: the content of the Israeli exhibition suggests that Israel has nothing to commemorate the living. The theme of the Biennale is Cities, specifically Cities of the 21st century. What does the Israeli exhibit have to do with this? The exhibits from the other 49 countries explore the theme in exciting, and diverse ways. Aren't visitors to the Israeli pavilion going to see the exhibits as an attempt to manipulate the emotions of the visitor and to exert a kind of moral blackmail? A sort of "there's no business like Shoah business" approach to architecture? Sorry if that's a cheap remark, but the Israeli pavilion itself seems cheap. Will visitors appreciate seeing that top of the list of supporters of the exhibit is the Israeli Defense Ministry? - especially when they recall the recent and current fine record of the Defense Ministry in its approach to architecture and the urban environment in Gaza, the West Bank, Beirut, Tyre and numerous villages in Lebanon.

What a great idea! British are at the forefront of the fight for human rights - british scientist also called for a ban of israeli scientist. But why stop at the israeli palestinian problem? Go on to ban Russia for the Tchetchen conflict (at least), China, for the numerous human rights violations, the whole arab world for absence of democracy, USA, for Guantanamo, France because of its support of african dictatorships and oppresing Corsica, and of course UK for oppressing the irish catholics. Than the world for those remaining (Fidji Islands? who other?) will be a better place. So go ahead!

This is yet another nail in Israel's coffin. It is a part of the overall Arab goal of isolating Israel and making it the South Africa of this decade. Since 1980, Saudi Arabia has committed $10 billion dollars to battle Israel in the propoganda war. Looking back, I never thought anything would come of it. I was wrong. Israel has become the pariah of the world. Sadly Britain, who is so afraid of the Islamists in their country, are leading the war against Israel. Israel is surely to blame for not taking seriously, the media war. It is much more lethal than the military war. Sadly, Once the US sees Israel as a liability, The war will be over. Israel will cease to be a viable nation state. There will then be a 2nd Holocaust. It is as clear as day that we are heading that way.

Since the britts, hate so much Jews. They should stop using any medicine invented by a Jew. They for now on must to use medicines developed by arabs. I wish Jews all over the world to ban anybody including the britts and french of using any product invented by a Jew, No problem they will die real soon.

Since when you british people have the right to question a protective wall?? how soon you forgot the way you treated people in India,Pakistan, China, etc. You britts have a terrible complex. you were somebody many years ago, no more, In the near future all of you will speak arabic and will use dirty rags as hats.you make me sick

homicide bomber before and after in a cafe?

Palestinian contributions to the arts of architectural science, drafting, and engineering should be highlighted in place of the Israeli exhibit that would do nothing other than highlight architectural excellence in a forum that should aim no less to highlight political conformity and cheaply demonstrative gentile rage--moreover Palestinian architects and engineers are foremost in advancing architectural use of: a) caves--very handy in demonstrating generations of Palestinian continuity in the lands of ancient Palestine, as in, my father lived in this cave, or, my grandfather lived in this cage, or, I live in this cave and this is my Palestinian goat b) non-descriptive cement block, concrete, stone and stucco habitations and commercial structures: an improvement on the Bauhaus schools of functional architecture since the bourgeoise element of academic self-consciousness is stripped ruthlessly away: these are just non-descript.

Write to the Biennale and ask to ban Arab Muslim exhibits because of his treatment of women, for instance.

Until the UK stops it's illegal occupation of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Gibralter, the Malvinas, Diego Garcia, etc. it's so-called architects, regardless of religion, should be toally banned from the Biennale. And until the UK Naval High Command is jailed for War Crimes against the Argentinians for it's atrocity in torpedoing the General Belgrano, no moral human being should buy a British product, nor visit that island of Murderers. May G*d forgive the British for their centuries of Crimes against Humanity. I never will.

Israels only architecural feats are the ghetto wall around the west bank, miles of frncing and the destructive remodeling of Gaza and Lebanon. So no point of them being there period.

You Israelis are the barbaric genocidal destroyers and not only Architects than all of you should be excommunicated from the World Community.

Betach, betach (of course, of course). From G-d's lips to your ear, I stand reproved. I are stung to the core. (ROFL!). Hope it made your day. And why aren't you at work??!!

Should not be allowed at the Biennale. Does Israel have nothing to commemorate the living? Is there no sample of combined Arab-Jewish architecture in Israel that has benefitied the entire population. Amir should not be allowed to participate in this international exhibition.

the use of professional training and status for harm is not forgiveable in a civilized society. perhaps Israel's most famous architect is Moishe Safdie - the man who deliberately and calculatedly designed a city in the full and certain knowledge that most of that city would be built on land from which the occupants would have to be disenfranchised first. Just like Albert Speer - whose designs for Berlin required many Jews to be "removed". And like Speer, I am sure that Safdie has his "apologists" ("deniers", call them what you like).

I don't have a clue who Abe Hayeem is but A Bush republican is on Israels side. I'd say he is a Jimmy Carter democrat. that is the better term

I dont understand the logic here. If they are going to judge people for the actions of their government then why are they calling for Palestinian participation? No matter how bad Israel may or may not be, they are nothing when compared to Hamas, the government of the Palestinians. Its ironic that this article appears under an article reporting that British MP's from accros the political spectrum are releasing a report on the rise of British Anti-Semitism. If these MP's wanted to do something other than release a report, they should publicy condem this group of architects and use them as an example of the illogical (Anti-Semitic) arguements popular in Britan today.

Who IS this guy, a Bush Republican?? Exclude everyone with whom you have an "issue", thus you'll wind up with an "organization" full of effete snobs, full of themselves, harumphing about anything. Very British. You will then wind up with a sterile, impotent machine, as it were, that will die when you do... an event that will not come about soon enough.

historical. impractical, hypocritical and morally bankrupt leftist arguments. stupid jews and other useful idiots mouth words, ideas and empty statements which are not only unrealistic in so far as solutions go but irrelevant and morally bankrupt.