This is big. The Norwegian government has divested its pension fund of two Leviev companies that build settlements in the occupied West Bank on the grounds that the international community regards territory east of the '67 line as occupied. (No singling out: the Norwegians also divested a third company, a Malaysian forestry company)
The two Israeli firms were excluded from the portfolios of the Norwegian governments pension fund due to their construction work on West Bank, since they contribute in “grossly unethical activity”, according to a press release from the Minister of Finances, Sigbjørn Johnsen today.
The two companies are Africa Israel investments, the Lev Leviev outfit (he of the diamond shop on Madison Avenue in NY) and its subsidiary Danya Cebus. Writes my informant:
We did it! Biggest BDS victory yet in [West Bank villages] Jayyous & Bil'in's campaign against the thief of thie lands Lev Leviev. Seven years of work. I'm so thrilled I missed my train stop.
Meanwhile, Israel prepares to buy stealth fighters with its free US dole and also continue to buy German submarines with its free German dole:
link to haaretz.com
The silver lining, soiled and torn as it is, in Israel’s choice of weapons procurement is that every shekel spent purchasing and maintaining big ticket items like fighters and submarines is a shekel less spent on ethnically cleansing Palestinians and constructing new and expanding existing Jewish colonies on their land.
Wonder how long it’ll take for Witty to come around and label this “fascistic,” the whole not doing business with companies that actively build illegal settlements he claims to be opposed to, then props up at every opportunity.