New York, NY, December 17, 2011 – Sixty New Yorkers sang parody holiday carols calling for a boycott of Israeli settlement-developer and diamond magnate Lev Leviev this afternoon outside Leviev’s Madison Avenue jewelry store. Twenty-five protesters continued on to the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) where they sang, chanted and distributed flyers in front of Daphne Guinness’ clothing exhibition there, which is sponsored by “Leviev Extraordinary Diamonds.”
Outside Leviev’s high-end Madison Avenue jewelry store, the carolers, many wearing Santa hats, greeted holiday shoppers for the fifth consecutive year with favorites from the Anti-Apartheid Caroling Songbook including, “We Wish You a Loss of Business” (“We Wish You a Merry Christmas”), “Oh, Boycott, Boycott, Boycott” (“Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel”), and “Lev We All Can see the Folly” (“Deck the Halls”). They sang new songs, including “Lev’s Dirty Rocks” (“Jingle Bell Rocks”) and “Diamond Mines” (“Silver Bells”). To the tune of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” they recognized West Bank communities like Bil’in, Jayyous and Nabi Saleh that are protesting Israel’s seizure of their land for settlements, and sang:
Boycott Leviev Jewelry Store (to the tune of “God Bless Ye Merry Gentlemen”)
Boycott Leviev jewelry store Don’t buy his dirty jewels He’s built illegal settlements He’s broken all the rules If you care about human lives You’ll see right through Lev’s ruse
[Refrain] O-oh justice for Palestinian Women and men The question is not i-i-if but when
Why are the Fashion Institute of Technology and Breast Cancer Research Foundation taking money from human rights abuser Lev Leviev?
Adalah-NY's recent attention to LEVIEV's sponsorship of the Daphne Guinness exhibit at FIT and donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) has put Lev Leviev's settlement development back in the news. With UK Vogue, Women's Wear Daily, New York Magazine, and other media reporting on his companies' human rights violations, the pressure is on.
December 8, 2011, New York, NY – Fashion icon Daphne Guinness, New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) were emailed follow-up letters this morning with comprehensive new documentation explaining why they should distance themselves from controversial Israeli diamond and settlement mogul Lev Leviev (see letters below). Today's letters followed upon initial November 21 letters from the same US and UK human rights groups calling on Guinness, FIT and BCRF to sever ties with Leviev over his companies’ Israeli settlement development and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.
In an email response and phone calls to Adalah-NY two weeks ago, and discussions with reporters last week, Daphne Guinness, FIT and BCRF indicated that they were all looking into the issues raised in the initial November 21 letters. According to a November 29 report in report in Women’s Wear Daily FIT had said that it “needs some time to make a decision and is pursuing the matter very actively.” Neither Guinness, FIT or BCRF has commented since.
Myra Biblowit, President Margaret Mastrianni, Deputy Director The Breast Cancer Research Foundation 60 East 56th Street, 8th Floor New York, NY
December 8, 2011
Dear Ms. Biblowit and Ms. Mastrianni,
We were pleased to learn via reporters who contacted the Breast Cancer Research Foundation that you are concerned about and considering our November 21 letter to you in which we called on BCRF to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a recent donor to BCRF. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.
Dr. Joyce F. Brown President FIT 227 West 27 St. room C908 New York, NY 10001-5992
Valerie Steele Director The Museum at FIT 227 West 27 St. room E304 New York, NY 10001-5992
December 8, 2011
Dear Dr. Brown and Ms. Steele,
We were pleased to learn by phone from FIT General Counsel Steve Tuttle and from media reports that you are actively pursuing the issues raised in our November 21 letter to you in which we called on FIT to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a funder of the Daphne Guinness exhibition at the Museum at FIT. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.
We are writing to follow up on our original letter, and to offer more details about Leviev’s illegal and unethical practices in order to aid you in your decision.
We were pleased to learn via a November 21 email from your assistant Jenna and through reporters who contacted you that you are concerned about and considering our November 21 letter to you in which we called on you to sever ties with Lev Leviev, a funder of your exhibition at FIT. As we documented, Leviev’s companies are involved in settlement construction in violation of international law in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian Territories and in human rights violations and unethical business practices in the diamond industry in Angola and Namibia.
We are writing to follow up on our original letter, and to offer more details about Leviev’s illegal and unethical practices in order to aid you in your decision.
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