Diamond News Broadcast

Leviev's defense, Zufim & Jayyous Nov 21, 2007 11:51PM    By Leonard It is true Leviev supports UNICEF and Oxfam, as well as numerous Jewish causes. But according to Yediot Aharonot Jan. 28, 2004, in an article called "The Settler National Fund" (http://www.peacenow.org/hot.asp?cid=247) and Le Monde Diplomatique in Aug. 2004, (http://mondediplo.com/2006/08/04settlers), and according to Dec. 2005 report by the Israeli human rights groups B'tselem and Bimkom ("Under the guise of security" http://www.btselem.org/Download/200512_Under_the_Guise_of_Security_Eng.pdf), as a donor to the Land Redemption Fund, Leviev supports efforts to settle Israelis in the West Bank, in contravention of international Law and convention. One of the settlements he supports, Zufim, is built on land belonging to the Palestinian village Jayyous. Most of Jayyous' most arable farmland, and seven of its water wells, are now on the Israeli-controlled side of the separation barrier, and according to the UN's OCHA, Jayyous' farmers have little access to their crops (IRIN News Oct. 29 -- http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=75027 )and as a result, this once-prosperous farming village now must receive aid from the World Food Program, According to the Financial Times: Palestinian farmers fear advance of West Bank wall by Sharmila Devi, The Financial Times September 23rd, 2006 http://www.catdestroyshomes.org/article.php?id=528 "Fellow farmers in Jayyous, in the region known as the 'garden' of the northern West Bank, made a living selling their fruits and vegetables before the wall was built there in 2004. Up to half of the population of 3,500 people now get aid from organisations such as the World Food Programme." -- USA Today, Israel hems in Livelihoods -- and Dreams, Aug. 17, 2003 http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2003-08-17-omar_x.htm Add Comment