Palestine

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is bound up in intersecting issues of place, history and geography, among other things. Two Israeli architects believe architecture and urban design can help lead to an agreeable solution.

August 27, 2013 - Smithsonian

A Palestinian village near Jerusalem boasts old stone-walled farming terraces and irrigation channels from Roman times, but planners of Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank want to build a route through the rare historical landscape.

December 30, 2012 - The Washington Post

Israel has announced the approval of 1,100 housing units to be constructed in occupied East Jerusalem, which is claimed by the Palestinians as their future capital.

September 28, 2011 - Al Jazeera

Esther Zandberg calls on Israeli architects and planners to refuse to design in Ariel, a sliver of land that goes deep into Palestinian territory. "Architecture is the implementer of political decisions," says Zandberg.

September 4, 2010 - Haaretz

This article from National Geographic examines the rapidly depleted Jordan River and how saving it could bring Israel and its quarreling neighbors together.

March 23, 2010 - National Geographic

With closed borders and a military lockdown on all imports and exports, the Palestinians of Gaza rely on a network of smuggling tunnels to obtain goods.

October 28, 2009 - Time

In order to cope with the Israeli blockade, millions of dollars have been invested in tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. Israel has bombed many of them. Now investors want their money back.

October 14, 2009 - BBC News

Like all of us I have been watching the carnage in Gaza with concern and growing despair. And like many people, I have struggled with how best to understand this conflict, fraught as it is with historic hatreds, accusations and counter-accusations. If it is at all possible I would like to attempt a pragmatic view, starting with the recognition that the historic conflict over Palestine concerning land ownership, use and associated rights may be seen as falling within the spectrum of issues related to land use planning.

January 13, 2009 - Michael Dudley

Suisman Urban Design was hired to design a theoretical Palestinian State, in the hopes that the plan might encourage the peace process. The plan was released in 2005, and has been gaining traction and admiration ever since.

December 28, 2008 - Places Journal

In this article from Progressive Planning, Tom Angotti looks at Gaza and the land use regulations that have imposed an "urban apartheid".

September 4, 2008 - Progressive Planning

A developer has plans for a new Palestinian city in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which he says would be the first new city in the West Bank in thousands of years. But he is still awaiting approval on a crucial road.

June 1, 2008 - NPR