“Leviev’s agent, Bin Khadra, first brought Leviev diamonds to the UAE in March this year with the opening of his store Levant Jewellery in the Mina Al Salam hotel. He told Gulf News that the franchise in the Dubai Mall and the Atlantis Hotel would be wholly owned by him.

Asked if he was aware of the activities of Lev Leviev’s companies in the West Bank, Bin Khadra said that he had heard of Leviev’s practices in the West Bank but had seen no proof of the allegations, adding that they were not a major concern because “such questions are not asked in the diamond business”.

Dubai, he said, was an apolitical and international city that needed global brands such as Leviev. “What we have learned here is that you don’t have to talk about politics or religion if you’re doing business,” he said.

Bin Khadra added that he knows of other major Dubai-based jewellers who were interested in bringing Leviev to the UAE. “If we hadn’t brought Leviev, someone else would have”.
____________________________________________

Blood diamond proof, “such questions are not asked in the diamond business”. He’s PALESTINIAN for Christ’s sake, if anyone reading here is still pissed off at Leviev (as they should be) I think your anger should take a sharp turn towards this ASSHOLE that thinks making money like THIS is more important than his own people!

The question is, does the UAE prohibit business dealings with Israel or not because according to Ali Ebrahim, Deputy Director General for Executive Affairs in Dubai they do.

WRONG! April 19, 2008 El Al’s chairman has been invited to a travel conference in Dubai
http://www.prlog.org/10065513-travel-conference-brings-israel-and-dubai-closer.html
AND Israeli diamonds have been selling well in Dubai with it’s Israeli representative being hosted very nicely there since 2006!

Israeli diamond traders find favor in Arab Dubai:
http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2006/10/25/israeli_diamond_traders_find_favor_in_arab_dubai/

Israeli Diamond Exchange president Avi Paz says diamonds and hospitality flow freely between Israel and Dubai.

“We came there, they came here. There is no problem at all,” Paz said in Tel Aviv. “I wish that wherever I go, they’ll host me like they hosted me in Dubai.”

Officially at least, the Emirates still enforces some aspects of the Arab League’s boycott with Israel, although a government official said most restrictions were dropped long ago.

There are no direct flights to Israel and visitors traveling on Israeli passports are rarely allowed to enter”
____________________
The operative word being RARELY. Dubai is now the fifth largest diamond importer in the world according to that article.

“Ebrahim said Israeli citizens were not allowed to operate in Dubai, adding that “precautionary measures” are taken to ensure that they do not.”

MALARKEY Mr. Ebrahim!

There’s enough lying and other UNETHICAL behavior going on in this whole affair from EVERYONE to make you PUKE!

Leviev’s jewelry has been selling in Levant Jewellry store at Al Qasr hotel since the store opened March 18th. The owner of that store is
Mr. Arif Ben Khadra, seen in a picture here standing next to Mr. Thierry Chaunu, President and chief operating officer of LEVIEV.
http://www.ameinfo.com/151331.html

In an interview on Go Dubai, Chaunu states the following:
• Why did you choose Levant to work with?
o Mr. Aref and Levant are very dynamic and savvy experts. They are excellent BUSINESS PARTNERS. It was much better for us to partner with someone who knows the market and can guide us in this region.

• How do you like Dubai?
o I pinch myself every time I come here. It is truly a remarkable place, the construction, the diversity of people is breath taking. The smiles you get, the welcome… that’s how the world should be
http://www.godubai.com/citylife/press_release_page.asp?id=15165&search=

“a high-level Dubai government official said that Leviev had no trade license to open a store in the Emirate”

I don’t think Mr. Aref ever got the memo either, because if you go on the website for Levant Jewellry then go to “our boutiques” it clearly gives as an upcoming boutique, “Leviev Boutique” in Dubai Mall.
http://www.levantjewellery.com/index.swf

Following boycott call, Dubai says Leviev has no license for planned jewelry stores
April 30th, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, Boycott & sanctions

Adalah-NY Contact: info@adalahny.org, http://www.adalahny.org

New York, NY, April 30 – In a sudden reversal, just 16 days after Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev publicly announced plans to open two new jewelry stores in Dubai this year, a high-level Dubai government official said that Leviev had no trade license to open a store in the Emirate. The report today in Dubai’s Gulf News, followed a flurry of media coverage of the April 18 call by Palestinians and New York activists for Dubai to boycott Leviev’s businesses over his companies’ settlement construction in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Issa Ayoub, a spokesperson for Adalah-NY, an activist group leading a boycott campaign against Leviev, commented, “We’re gratified that, by refusing trade licenses for Leviev, Dubai has joined the growing movement to boycott Leviev’s companies due to their violations of international law and human rights abuses in Palestine and Angola. We repeat our call to the people of Dubai to stop entirely the sale of Leviev’s jewelry, even in local stores. Israeli businesses like Leviev’s need to be held accountable for their role oppressing the Palestinian people.”

An April 30th article, “Israeli has no trade license to open shop in Dubai”, by Abbas Al Luwati in Dubai’s Gulf News (archive.gulfnews.com/nation/General/10209492.html) quoted Ali Ebrahim, Deputy Director General for Executive Affairs in Dubai saying, “We are aware of these reports and have not granted a trade licence to any business of this name. If such an application does come to us we will deal with it accordingly.” According to the article, “Ebrahim said Israeli citizens were not allowed to operate in Dubai, adding that “precautionary measures” are taken to ensure that they do not. He added that Israeli businesses would be prevented from operating in Dubai through non-Israeli partners.”

Read the rest here
http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/04/30/following-boycott-call-dubai-says-leviev-has-no-license-for-planned-jewelry-stores/

http://www.bi-me.com/main.php?id=19354&t=1&c=33&cg=4