Palestinians call for a boycott of Israeli diamonds
Over 50 Palestinian organisations, representing a cross-section of Palestinian civil society, including women’s groups and trade unions, and international organisations in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for equality, justice and an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, have issued an appeal to women and men of conscience and jewellers worldwide to reject diamonds processed in Israel.
Samir Abed-Rabbo, a coordinator of the campaign for a global rejection of Israeli diamonds said: “Revenue from Israel’s diamond industry is a major source of funding for the Israeli military which stands accused of war crimes by the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Diamonds processed in Israel evade the human rights strictures of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme which only bans ‘conflict diamonds’ or rough diamonds used by rebel groups to finance conflicts against legitimate governments.”
Pointing out the repeated refusal of the Kimberley Process to ban all blood diamonds he said: “The failure of the Kimberley Process to broaden the definition of a “conflict diamond” and ban polished diamonds that fund war crimes means that diamond purchasers are being sold blood diamonds, which are falsely labelled conflict-free by jewellers, including most, if not all, of the world’s most iconic jewellery establishments.”
Decrying the lack of security for Palestinians he continued: “International governments, the US and EU in particular, have failed to protect Palestinians from Israel’s diamond-funded military which last November killed 170 Palestinians, mainly civilians, including 33 children and in the last four weeks shot and killed six unarmed Palestinians. He said: “Diamonds are Israel’s most important manufacturing export commodity; accounting for 30% of Israel’s manufacturing exports. Without revenue from the diamond industry Israel could not afford the financial burden of the illegal occupation, construction of Jewish colonies on Palestinian lands and the brutal subjugation of the Palestinian people.”
He concluded by calling on diamond-purchasers to: “be wary of claims by jewellers that “ethically sourced” or “responsibly sourced” diamonds are conflict-free, as the diamonds may still be blood diamonds if they were cut and polished in Israel where diamond-revenue funds a regime guilty of war crimes. Consumers should demand to know where a diamond was cut and polished as well as where it was sourced.” They need to be aware that when they buy a diamond processed in Israel it is tarnished with the blood of innocent Palestinian men, women and children.
The Call:
The Palestinian civil society organizations and international solidarity groups call upon:
- Jewellers worldwide to immediately end the trade in diamonds processed in Israel, and
- women and men of conscience the world over to reject diamonds from Israel which fund a military regime that murders, maims and terrorises innocent men, women and children with impunity.
This call is endorsed by the following Palestinian and International organisations:
- 1. The Association of Women Committees for Social Work (AWCSW)
- 2. The Society of Women Graduates
- 3. The Palestinian Development Women Studies Association
- 4. Center for Women’s Legal Research and Consulting
- 5. Women’s Affairs Center
- 6. Community Media Center
- 7. SemSem – Association for Relief and Development
- 8. Palestinian Association for Development and Reconstruction
- 9. Creative Women Forum
- Muslim Women Association
- Palestinian Association for Development and Heritage Protection
- Al-Mustaqbal Society for Development
- Afak Center for Women
- Women and Community Empowerment Center
- Nour El Marefa El Khairia Association
- Al Aqsa Sport Club
- Samed for Relief and Development Association
- Palestinian Association for Truth and Justice
- Humans without Boarder and for Social Security
- Union of the Committees of Women in the Struggle
- Union of the Committees of Workers in the Struggle
- The Coast for Growth and Development
- The European Center for Studies and Documentations
- The Union of Agricultural Workers Committees
- Milad Association for the Development of Youth Capabilities
- Palestinian Renaissance Society
- Ghassan Kanafani Development Association
- Progressive Democratic National Gathering
- Campaign to Boycott Israeli Products
- Labor Resources Center
- Union of the Committees of Independent Workers
- Akabir Group for the Art
- CompuLife for General Services
- Afaq Jadeeda Association
- The Palestinian Union for Struggling Women
- General Union of Cultural Centers
- Union of Palestinian Engineers in the Struggle
- Union of Palestinian Students in the Struggle
- Progressive Students Front
- Union of Palestinian Women
- AL-Awda New York, The Palestinian Right to Return Coalition
- Beit Conivencia
- Free Gaza Movement
- Free Palestine Movement
- International Solidarity Movement – Northern California
- Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
- Labor for Palestine (US)
- New York City Labor Against the War
- Samidoun: Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
- Siegebusters Working Group
- US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
- US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation
- Interfaith Committee for Palestinian Rights.
- Friends of Deir Ibzi’a
- Bay Area Women in Black
- 14 Friends of Palestine
- Al Nakba Awareness Project
- Birmingham Peace Project
- Corvallis-Albany Friends of Middle East Peace
- CU-Divest
- North Texas, Boycott Divestment and Sanctions of Israel Campaign
- St. Louis Palestine Solidarity Committee
- International Women’s Peace Service
- Free Gaza Scotland
- Democratic Progressive Youth Union
- Cultural Centre of Maghazi Association
- Progressive Popular Front for Students
- Heritage Benevolent Association
- Al Mirsad for the Rights of Palestinian Refugees
- The Palestinian Association for the Treatment of Addiction
- The Arab People Union – All Branches
- Arab People Parliament
- Cardiff Palestine Solidarity Campaign
- Northwest BDS Coalition
- Palestine Solidarity Committee – Seattle
- Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
- Oberlin College Students for a Free Palestine
- If Americans Knew
- Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice
- Women for Palestine (Gaza)
- Australians for Palestine
- Women for Palestine (Australia)
- Coalition for a Free Palestine (South Africa)
- Canada Palestine Association
- Voice of Palestine (Canada)
- Innovative Minds (inminds.com)
- Leeds Palestine Solidarity Campaign
- Trade Union Friends of Palestine (Ireland)
- Centre for Civil Society Economic Justice Project, Durban, South Africa
- The National Union of Families of Martyrs
- Palestinian Media Forum
- The Palestinian Youth Coalition in Lebanon
- Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Notes
1. – According to Israeli political economist, Shir Hever, “Every time somebody buys a diamond that was exported from Israel some of that money ends up in the Israeli military, so the financial connection is quite clear. Overall the Israeli diamond industry contributes about $1 billion annually to the Israeli military and security industries.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q76ktVtvgVg
2. – Cut and polished diamonds that generate revenue used to fund war crimes evade the Kimberley Process Regulations which ban “conflict diamonds” described as: “rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments” http://bit.ly/11rzZre
3. – Israel is one of the world’s leading diamond exporters, with exports valued at $22 billion in 2011 accounting for 30% of Israel’s exports. http://www.israelidiamond.co.il/english/news.aspx?boneid=401
4. – Diamond exports added $11 billion NET to the Israeli economy in 2011. Israel’s Ministry of Defence budget in 2011 was $14 billion. http://aje.me/AbxToz
5. – “The Mission finds that the conduct of the Israeli armed forces constitutes grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention in respect of wilful killings and wilfully causing great suffering to protected persons and, as such, give rise to individual criminal responsibility. It also finds that the direct targeting and arbitrary killing of Palestinian civilians is a violation of the right to life.” UN Human Rights Council Report of the Fact-Finding Mission of the Gaza Conflict – http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/12session/A-HRC-12-48.pdf
6. – IPSC – Impunity to kill: Six Palestinians shot dead by Israeli forces in less than a fortnight. – http://www.ipsc.ie/press-releases/impunity-to-kill-six-palestinians-shot-dead-by-israeli-forces-in-less-than-a-fortnight
7. – November 2011 – Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition, Brussels Communiqué calling of the inclusion of the cutting and polishing industry in the Kimberley Process http://www.pacweb.org/Documents/Press_releases/2011/KP_CSC_Brussels_Communique_Dec2011-Engl.pdf
8. – Human Rights Watch – Israel/Gaza: Unlawful Israeli Attacks on Palestinian Media
“Official statements that reflect the military having adopted an unlawful basis for attacks are evidence of war crimes because they show intent.” http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/12/20/israelgaza-unlawful-israeli-attacks-palestinian-media
9. – Global Witness leaves Kimberley Process, calls for diamond trade to be held accountable – “Most consumers still cannot be sure where their diamonds come from, nor whether they are financing armed violence or abusive regimes.” http://www.globalwitness.org/library/global-witness-leaves-kimberley-process-calls-diamond-trade-be-held-accountable
10. – Israel’s greatest fear – its diamond trade exposed. http://www.opednews.com/articles/Israel-s-greatest-fear–i-by-Se-n-Clinton-121027-116.html
11 – “Israeli forces killed hundreds of unarmed Palestinian civilians and destroyed thousands of homes in Gaza in attacks which breached the laws of war, Amnesty International concluded” – http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/impunity-war-crimes-gaza-southern-israel-recipe-further-civilian-suffering-20090702