West Bank Village Appeals for Boycott of Settlements' Funder

NEW YORK, January 7, 2012 (WAFA) – Palestinian residents of the West Bank village of Jayyous Friday appealed in a letter to fashion icons and to cancer research institute not to accept donations from a known funder of illegal Jewish settlements built on Palestinian land in the West Bank, according to a press release by the rights organization Adalah-NY.

In the letter, Jayyous Land Defense Committee implored fashion icon Daphne Guinness, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) not to “help Lev Leviev to whitewash his illegal settlements on Jayyous’ farmland.”

Leviev, who owns Africa Israel company and is involved in the diamond industry, is the godfather of settlement construction in the West Bank, deemed by the world community as illegal under international law.

Several international groups and organizations have recently distanced themselves from Leviev's companies due to his dismal human rights record.

Leviev funded Daphne Guinness cloths exhibit at FIT and had also donated to the BCRF.

The Jayyous Land Defense Committee detailed in the letter the involvement of one of Leviev’s companies in the construction of Zufim settlement on Jayyous farmland.

“Billionaire Lev Leviev has financially sponsored the construction of the Zufim settlement, whose area has reached 600 dunums (approx. 148 acres) so far, and which continues to expand and encroach on agricultural lands. Therefore, he deprives many Palestinian families in Jayyous from earning their living, as well as depriving them of their water,” said the letter.

“Nonprofit organizations in the US like the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and individuals who care about human rights like Daphne Guinness have an obligation to support people’s right to live in dignity, and to support Jayyous’ families’ efforts to remain on their lands, instead of cooperating with Lev Leviev who steals our lands, and food, in order to build illegal settlements,” said the letter.
Palestine News & Info Agency - WAFA