My side will win. Why? Because the movement is growing inside Jewish culture to call attention to the destruction of Palestinian lives. And Jewish culture is, like it or not, really important in the American discourse. Note that the Jewish press is on the story. But the mainstream press is afraid!
Lev Leviev is a billionaire/Russian-born/Israeli diamond merchant in New York. He also funds settlements in the West Bank. The other night at the grand opening of his fabulous new store in N.Y., protesters showed up to denounce his support for illegal settlements. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency covered the event and described the protesters as "human rights advocates."
The Forward also covered the protests in a fair manner:
a group of protesters showed up behind the velvet rope that barred
the entrance to the store. The protesters were most vocal in
criticizing Leviev’s involvement in developing the Palestinian
territories. But they also denounced his trade with the Angolan
government, widely regarded as repressive, and his real estate holdings
in New York City, which have come under fire from tenants’ rights
groups.Leviev “is destroying marginal
communities in New York City the same way he’s destroying Palestinian
communities in the Middle East,” said protester Ethan Heitner, who
identified himself as a Jewish member of the group Adalah-NY.A
source close to Leviev said that the protesters were scapegoating the
diamond merchant simply because he is an Israeli citizen. The
controversies went unmentioned at the Chabad event — and they were also
omitted from a lengthy recent story about Leviev in The New York Times
Magazine.
And here is a report from the protest organizers, Adalah New York, Coalition for Justice in the Middle East:
Over 100 well-dressed, well-heeled New Yorkers attending the
invitation-only opening of diamond mogul Lev Leviev’s Madison Avenue
jewelry store this evening appeared stunned and aghast to find their
evening derailed by a noisy protest against Leviev’s construction of
illegal West Bank settlements. Gala attendees set down their champagne
glasses and gathered by windows to view the signs and Palestinian
flags, and hear protesters’ chants.
