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Tag: Jerusalem
Rafi Segal the Israeli architect and urbanism expert has been profiled by Michael Sorkin in an article published in The Nation magazine titled ‘The Trials of Rafi Segal’. Sorkin states “In early 2012, the National Library of Israel announced a competition for a new building in Jerusalem. The site was one of special prominence—near the Knesset, the Supreme Court and the Israel Museum—and the project enjoyed enormous national prestige. The competition was sponsored by two entities: the Israel National Library Construction Company and Yad Hanadiv, a foundation funded and controlled by the Rothschild family and the principal funder of the library project. The track record of the Rothschilds in sponsoring Israeli architectural competitions is somewhat checkered, which isn’t surprising for a rich and powerful organization participating in processes where the outcome is, theoretically, beyond its control. …When the library competition was announced, it almost immediately became mired in similar issues of power and manipulation. …And then something remarkable happened: in September 2012, Rafi Segal—a very talented young Israeli architect—became the jury’s enthusiastic choice. His elegant, subtle, site-sensitive scheme was described by the jury as “modest yet original and unique.” And so it was. …Then the assault began. First came an attack on Segal by Yair Gabbay, an attorney from the Jerusalem Municipality Planning and Building Committee, who threatened to thwart the permit process for the new building unless the National Library Board promised to “cancel the results of the tender and start a new process to choose a worthy planner for the National Library from among the Zionist architects living in Israel” Gabbay’s beef with Segal had to do with the latter’s authorship a decade ago (with Eyal Weizman) of the fine book A Civilian Occupation: The Politics of Israeli Architecture, which succinctly examined the spatial specifics of Israeli settlement policy. …This was only the beginning…”  Inspired by Michael Sorkin, The Nation ow.ly/kBg8D Image source LinkedIn ow.ly/kBfZM A worthy planner for the National Library (May 31 2013)

 

Rafi Segal the Israeli architect and urbanism expert has been profiled by Michael Sorkin in an article published in The Nation magazine titled ‘The Trials of Rafi Segal’. Sorkin states “In early 2012, the National Library of Israel announced a competition for a new building in Jerusalem. The site was one of special prominence—near the Knesset, the Supreme Court and the Israel Museum—and the project enjoyed enormous national prestige. The competition was sponsored by two entities: the Israel National Library Construction Company and Yad Hanadiv, a foundation funded and controlled by the Rothschild family and the principal funder of the library project. The track record of the Rothschilds in sponsoring Israeli architectural competitions is somewhat checkered, which isn’t surprising for a rich and powerful organization participating in processes where the outcome is, theoretically, beyond its control. …When the library competition was announced, it almost immediately became mired in similar issues of power and manipulation. …And then something remarkable happened: in September 2012, Rafi Segal—a very talented young Israeli architect—became the jury’s enthusiastic choice. His elegant, subtle, site-sensitive scheme was described by the jury as “modest yet original and unique.” And so it was. …Then the assault began. First came an attack on Segal by Yair Gabbay, an attorney from the Jerusalem Municipality Planning and Building Committee, who threatened to thwart the permit process for the new building unless the National Library Board promised to “cancel the results of the tender and start a new process to choose a worthy planner for the National Library from among the Zionist architects living in Israel” Gabbay’s beef with Segal had to do with the latter’s authorship a decade ago (with Eyal Weizman) of the fine book A Civilian Occupation: The Politics of Israeli Architecture, which succinctly examined the spatial specifics of Israeli settlement policy. …This was only the beginning…”

 

Inspired by Michael Sorkin, The Nation ow.ly/kBg8D Image source LinkedIn ow.ly/kBfZM

Illes Relief should be returned to Geneva (August 28 2012) Illes Relief should be returned to Geneva (August 28 2012)

Maryvelma Smith O’Neil the American Historian and activist for Palestinian statehood has published an article on Aljazeera arguing the Illes Relief as a prized treasure should be returned to Geneva rather than squandered in Jerusalem. In the article O’Neil states “The model relief was made by Stephan Illés, an enterprising young Hungarian Catholic, who arrived in Jerusalem in 1864. He spent his days quietly binding books to earn a living, but escaped after dark into a marvellous miniature world of his own creation. From 1872 to 1873, he painstakingly crafted a 4.5 by 5 metre (15 by 16ft) 3D model to make what came to be known as the Illés Relief – a 19th century Google Map of Jerusalem. …Back in Geneva, the Maison de la Réformation council had been assured that the relief would be seen by thousands of museum-goers. However, finding it today demands directed curiosity or deliberate intention – since it is tucked away deep in the subterranean level, where it attracts few visitors – as recently attested by a museum guide. It is the only artifact in the museum, yet it is simply described on a plaque as “a 19th century model of Jerusalem”. This near absence of curatorial documentation does not fall in line with Professor Rubin’s valuation of it as “an accurate and detailed cartographic document and therefore an important and unique source for the study of the history and georgraphy of Jerusalem in the 19th century”. “

 

Inspired by Aljazeera ow.ly/d7c5U image source Bangkok Allure ow.ly/d7c1U

Jillian Kestler-DAmours the Canadian freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Jerusalem, who rejects the notion of objectivity and instead believes in using journalism to challenge power structures and promote change, has published an article on ipsnews titled ‘Media Faces New Crackdown’. Kestler-DAmours states “The Palestinian Authority’s arrest of journalists and activists critical of its policies are threatening freedom of expression and journalistic freedoms in the West Bank, according to local human rights groups. …PA security forces have arrested dozens of Palestinian journalists, bloggers, students and activists in recent weeks. Many have been detained for statements they made on social networking sites like Facebook that were critical of the PA, while others were targeted for articles and other work they published. …In late April, Palestinian Ma’an News Agency reported that the PA had instructed Internet service providers to block access to news websites that were critical of President Mahmoud Abbas. Since the report came out, PA communications minister Mashour Abu Daka has resigned from his post. Attorney General al-Maghni, for his part, has defended the decision to block the websites, arguing that they were censored for security reasons and because personal complaints had been made against their content.”

Inspired by ipsnews ow.ly/aYduG image source jhrconcordia ow.ly/aYcY5

 

Suha Arafat the 48 year old widow of the former Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat is now the subject of an arrest warrant relating to a high level corruption investigation by the Tunisian authorities. The investigation relates to the International School of Carthage, founded in 2006 by both Suha Arafat and the former president Ben Ali’s wife, Leila Trabelsi a former hairdresser. A WikiLeaks cable has revealed the Tunisian government under Ben Ali granted his wife a $1.5 million grant along with land for the schools development. Arafat was born in Jerusalem, has French citizenship, and lived in Tunisia for three years following her husband’s death. She became a naturalized citizen of Tunisia, until her citizenship was revoked following a dispute with Trabelsi over the closure of the school. Forced to leave Arafat now lives in Malta.

 

Inspired by Aljazerra http://ow.ly/7kfsN image source http://ow.ly/7kfzh

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