As Israel carries out yet another attack on Gaza, jewelers worldwide continue to conceal the fact that blood diamonds are supporting one of the most abhorrent and prolonged injustices against a defenseless indigenous people. Israel’s “prominent and central position” in the global diamond industry has ensured that diamonds which fund war crimes in Palestine evade regulation. Consumers have been kept in the dark and lied to about the extent of this blood diamond problem responsible for 26/11 Mumbai Attacks.
The fact that the Israeli diamond industry is estimated to generate about $1 billion/yr. in funding for the Israeli military should have meant diamonds from Israel were regarded as blood diamonds and banned years ago. The vested interests that set up and control the KP, including Israel, the EU and the US, ensure these blood diamonds avail of the KP’s protective shield and are stamped conflict-free in accordance with a bogus “System of Warranties” introduced by the World Diamond Council to create the illusion that the KP regulations extend to cut and polished diamonds.
In 2010, Israeli economist Shir Hever stated: “Overall the Israeli diamond industry contributes about $1 billion annually to the Israeli military and security industries … every time somebody buys a diamond that was exported from Israel some of that money ends up in the Israeli military so the financial connection is quite clear”.
Diamonds are Israel’s most important export commodity, accounting for 30% of manufacturing exports, worth $22 billion in 2011. Even though diamonds from Israel fund the Israeli military which stands accused of war crimes by the Human Rights Council, the jewellery industry allows these diamonds to contaminate the diamond market masquerading as conflict-free diamonds.
The US market consumes 50% of the global diamond production and half of the diamonds sold there come from Israel. Given this reality it is little wonder that when the Texas Jewellers Association recently announced plans for the first ever Israel – Texas diamond fair human rights activists who favour a single democratic state in Palestine/Israel started a petition calling on the TJA to end their collaboration with the Israeli diamond industry.
In recent times human rights activists have staged protests in London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Basel, Zurich, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Vicenza and New York to highlight the trade in Israeli blood diamonds.
In 2011 a broad spectrum of Palestinian society, represented by over fifty different organisation including trade unions, farmers, fishermen and others, called on people of conscience to reject diamonds from Israel.
In 2013 South African human rights groups, trade unions and major civil society organisations called for Israel to be expelled from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and an end to the export of rough diamonds from South Africa to Israel.
The London Diamond Bourse is an integral part of the British jewellery industry and this provocative statement by its leader tarnishes the entire industry which human rights activists already accuse of laundering Israeli blood diamonds under the umbrella of the discredited Kimberley Process regulatory scheme.
Simon Rainer, the present head of the British jewellery Association, previously posed the question : “what if a democratically elected government is using diamond wealth to suppress indigenous populations?” Well that is precisely what is happening now in Gaza. Revenue from the Israeli diamond industry is being used by the regime to slaughter Palestinians. The violence, which many observers believe amounts to war crimes, is being encouraged by the head of the London Diamond Bourse – a major centre for the distribution of diamonds from Israel throughout the British jewellery market.
According to data published by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics, in 2013 Israeli diamond export to the UK were valued at $ 475 million.
Palestinians are by far the biggest victims of blood diamond-funded violence. The diamond industry is “one of the cornerstones of the Israeli economy” and revenue from that industry is used to deny Palestinians the most basic of human rights — the right to life. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s diamond-funded military. Millions of Palestinians suffer daily humiliation and denial of the inalienable rights as they languish in refugee camps across the Middle East, eke out an existence under occupation and brutal subjugation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and endure discrimination in their daily lives under the apartheid regime in Israel.
In 2010, Israeli economist Shir Hever stated: “Overall the Israeli diamond industry contributes about $1 billion annually to the Israeli military and security industries … every time somebody buys a diamond that was exported from Israel some of that money ends up in the Israeli military so the financial connection is quite clear”.
Diamonds are Israel’s most important export commodity, accounting for 30% of manufacturing exports, worth $22 billion in 2011. Even though diamonds from Israel fund the Israeli military which stands accused of war crimes by the Human Rights Council, the jewellery industry allows these diamonds to contaminate the diamond market masquerading as conflict-free diamonds.
The US market consumes 50% of the global diamond production and half of the diamonds sold there come from Israel. Given this reality it is little wonder that when the Texas Jewellers Association recently announced plans for the first ever Israel – Texas diamond fair human rights activists who favour a single democratic state in Palestine/Israel started a petition calling on the TJA to end their collaboration with the Israeli diamond industry.
In recent times human rights activists have staged protests in London, Dublin, Hong Kong, Basel, Zurich, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Vicenza and New York to highlight the trade in Israeli blood diamonds.
In 2011 a broad spectrum of Palestinian society, represented by over fifty different organisation including trade unions, farmers, fishermen and others, called on people of conscience to reject diamonds from Israel.
In 2013 South African human rights groups, trade unions and major civil society organisations called for Israel to be expelled from the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme and an end to the export of rough diamonds from South Africa to Israel.
The London Diamond Bourse is an integral part of the British jewellery industry and this provocative statement by its leader tarnishes the entire industry which human rights activists already accuse of laundering Israeli blood diamonds under the umbrella of the discredited Kimberley Process regulatory scheme.
Simon Rainer, the present head of the British jewellery Association, previously posed the question : “what if a democratically elected government is using diamond wealth to suppress indigenous populations?” Well that is precisely what is happening now in Gaza. Revenue from the Israeli diamond industry is being used by the regime to slaughter Palestinians. The violence, which many observers believe amounts to war crimes, is being encouraged by the head of the London Diamond Bourse – a major centre for the distribution of diamonds from Israel throughout the British jewellery market.
According to data published by the Israeli Bureau of Statistics, in 2013 Israeli diamond export to the UK were valued at $ 475 million.
Palestinians are by far the biggest victims of blood diamond-funded violence. The diamond industry is “one of the cornerstones of the Israeli economy” and revenue from that industry is used to deny Palestinians the most basic of human rights — the right to life. Thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s diamond-funded military. Millions of Palestinians suffer daily humiliation and denial of the inalienable rights as they languish in refugee camps across the Middle East, eke out an existence under occupation and brutal subjugation in the occupied Palestinian territories, and endure discrimination in their daily lives under the apartheid regime in Israel.
The diamond industry in Israel is the cornerstone of the economy that generates the revenue needed to sustain a belligerent apartheid regime which commits serious human rights violations on a daily basis and ignores all attempts by the international community to broker a just and lasting peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
26/11 Diamond Mafia
How Blood Diamonds Are Smuggled in India
Jason Miklian, a brilliant researcher caused considerable embarrassment for the diamond industry when an article he wrote exposed some of the serious flaws in the Kimberley Process and spawned headlines declaring that 25% of all diamonds are blood diamonds. The article reproduced at GreatGameIndia titled How Blood Diamonds are Smuggled in India provides a fundamental understanding of the routes, processes, people, departments etc involved in the diamond trade and how nearly all the world’s diamonds — legal or not — pass through Surat.
India’s largest Diamonds Hawala Scam unearthed in Surat
Just three days ago on 19th July 2014 India’s largest Diamonds Hawala Scam was unearthed in Surat. According to ED officials in Ahmedabad, the investigation started on the basis of ICICI Bank’s police complaint (FIR) in Surat. ED has filed charge sheet against 79 accused on Friday and out of three main accused two are arrested and one is absconding. Afrosh Hasan Fata and his associate Bilal Haroon Gilani are residents of Surat while the third main accused is Madan Jain, a resident of Mumbai. Afrosh Fata was arrested two months ago, while on Thursday Madan Jain was arrested and also produced before Ahmedabad metropolitan court for further remand.
Afroz Fatta with Narendra Modi
“We believe Afroz is being helped by some powerful people in Surat and that is why he has been summoned to Ahmedabad,” the ED officials said.
After the ED investigation progressed crucial links of Afroz Fatta with Narendra Modi emerged with. Congress leader now seeks answers from Narendra Modi on his covert relationship with those involved in money-laundering after releasing Mr Modi’s pictures with Afroz Fatta.
Hours after the Congress claimed on Monday that Narendra Modi has close links with alleged hawala operator, who was raided by the Enforcement Directorate last month, the BJP hit back releasing a photo of Mohammad Azharuddin with the Surat-based Afroz Fatta.
What is to be noted however is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Afroz Fatta seems to be very well connected with both BJP & Congress politicians, celebrities and underworld as well, as already hinted by ED officials.
Just three days ago on 19th July 2014 India’s largest Diamonds Hawala Scam was unearthed in Surat. According to ED officials in Ahmedabad, the investigation started on the basis of ICICI Bank’s police complaint (FIR) in Surat. ED has filed charge sheet against 79 accused on Friday and out of three main accused two are arrested and one is absconding. Afrosh Hasan Fata and his associate Bilal Haroon Gilani are residents of Surat while the third main accused is Madan Jain, a resident of Mumbai. Afrosh Fata was arrested two months ago, while on Thursday Madan Jain was arrested and also produced before Ahmedabad metropolitan court for further remand.
Afroz Fatta with Narendra Modi
“We believe Afroz is being helped by some powerful people in Surat and that is why he has been summoned to Ahmedabad,” the ED officials said.
After the ED investigation progressed crucial links of Afroz Fatta with Narendra Modi emerged with. Congress leader now seeks answers from Narendra Modi on his covert relationship with those involved in money-laundering after releasing Mr Modi’s pictures with Afroz Fatta.
Hours after the Congress claimed on Monday that Narendra Modi has close links with alleged hawala operator, who was raided by the Enforcement Directorate last month, the BJP hit back releasing a photo of Mohammad Azharuddin with the Surat-based Afroz Fatta.
What is to be noted however is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Afroz Fatta seems to be very well connected with both BJP & Congress politicians, celebrities and underworld as well, as already hinted by ED officials.
Of Diamonds and Terrorist Attacks in India
A report published in January of this year by a Paris based task force FATF (Financial Action Task Force) titled Money laundering and Terrorist financing through trade in Diamonds revealed that India is one among five countries where the trade accounts of the diamond business are used to launder illegal funds amounting to millions of dollars.
Some of the risks and vulnerabilities of the diamonds trade, identified in this report are
A report published in January of this year by a Paris based task force FATF (Financial Action Task Force) titled Money laundering and Terrorist financing through trade in Diamonds revealed that India is one among five countries where the trade accounts of the diamond business are used to launder illegal funds amounting to millions of dollars.
Some of the risks and vulnerabilities of the diamonds trade, identified in this report are
Global nature of trade – The trade in diamonds is transnational and complex, thus convenient for ML/TF transactions that are, in most cases, of international and multi-jurisdictional nature.
Use of diamonds as currency – Diamonds are difficult to trace and can provide anonymity in transactions.
Trade Based Money Laundering (TBML) – The specific characteristics of diamonds as a commodity and the significant proportion of transactions related to international trade make the diamonds trade vulnerable to the different laundering techniques of TBML in general and over/under valuation in particular.
High amounts – The trade in diamonds can reach tens of millions to billions of US dollars. This has bearing on the potential to launder large amounts of money through the diamond trade and also on the level of risks of the diamonds trade.
The conversation that revealed India’s dirtiest Secret – Dayanand Pandey Tapes
The conversation given out in the charge-sheet is reproduced below. It tells of a harrowing anti-national conspiracy.
Purohit: I have contacted Israel. One of our captains has been to Israel…very positive response from their side. They have asked us to show them something on the ground.
Our website had not been launched yet. We just gave them on paper…they asked us to wait and watch for six months.
We had asked for four things…continuous and uninterrupted supply of equipment and training. Second thing allow us to start our office with saffron flag in Tel Aviv.
Number three…political asylum. Number four support our cause in UN that Hindu nation is born.
They have accepted two things. They don’t want to fly our national flag in Tel Aviv saying they don’t want to spoil their relations with India. Also they are saying that they cannot support us on international forum for two years.
Purohit: Let me also tell you our meeting had been fixed with King Gyanendra (of Nepal) on June 24, 2006 and then in 2007…the King had accepted the proposal…20 people from my side will train as officers there every six months…I’ll get 40 persons every year and 200 persons will train as jawans…I’ll get 400 soldiers. You being an independent nation, ask for Aks from Czekoslovakia, we will pay the money and the ammunition. The king has accepted…
Purohit was in touch with Nepal king for a separate state
Captain who visited Israel ?
The Dayanand Pandey tapes mentions one ‘Captain’ who visited Israel and took training there. Who was he talking about ?
Apart from huge controversy over 26/11 involving his role of ‘deliberate inaction’ that among other things also led to the death of Hemanth Karkare and the production of entire film on 26/11 by Ram Gopal Varma to be a propaganda to salvage his image, in addition to other such movies; interestingly Rakesh Maria also comes from a film production background. His family owns ‘Kala Niketan Film Production’ in Mumbai.
The Dayanand Pandey tapes mentions one ‘Captain’ who visited Israel and took training there. Who was he talking about ?
Apart from huge controversy over 26/11 involving his role of ‘deliberate inaction’ that among other things also led to the death of Hemanth Karkare and the production of entire film on 26/11 by Ram Gopal Varma to be a propaganda to salvage his image, in addition to other such movies; interestingly Rakesh Maria also comes from a film production background. His family owns ‘Kala Niketan Film Production’ in Mumbai.
Vinita Kamte, widow of ACP Ashok Kamte states in her book To the Last Bullet that Maria, the JCP manning the control room on 26/11, denied knowledge of how Kamte managed to reach Cama hospital, where he was shot and killed along with Vijay Salaskar and Hemant Karkare. The book also alleges that Maria was unable to send timely reinforcements when they were requested by Karkare. ( In fact it was later established through the control room logs that it was Maria who had sent the three officers to Cama hospital.)
Maria is also accused of charges ranging from not having gone to the site of the attacks even once in three days, to misleading then police commissioner Hasan Gafoor about the deaths of Kamte, Karkare and Salaskar.
A 2005 IB report cast doubts on the veracity of the intelligence Maria had provided about the terrorists in 2003 Mumbai blasts case. The report suggested that Maria and his team had concocted the names of terrorists who didn’t even exist. In 2005 itself, Maria’s team was disbanded by then Police Commissioner RS Sharma.
His cabin is often surrounded by journalists who wait for the evening darbar, or “Maria’s darbar” as it is called, where his department feeds the press stories of its gallantry which find their way into the newspapers the next day.
Coming down heavily on Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria, recently the state Chief Information Commissioner has raised doubts about whether he was trying to hide some information on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by withholding and providing misleading information about the call logs of wireless conversations between the police control room and slain IPS officer Ashok Kamte’s van on the day he died.
In a recent order, state’s Chief Information Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad has also asked the state government to institute a commission of inquiry into the entire incident, to look into why misleading information was provided in an incident of such prominence as the 26/11 terror attacks.
26/11 Investigators on a Hit-List of Diamond Mafia
Maria is also accused of charges ranging from not having gone to the site of the attacks even once in three days, to misleading then police commissioner Hasan Gafoor about the deaths of Kamte, Karkare and Salaskar.
A 2005 IB report cast doubts on the veracity of the intelligence Maria had provided about the terrorists in 2003 Mumbai blasts case. The report suggested that Maria and his team had concocted the names of terrorists who didn’t even exist. In 2005 itself, Maria’s team was disbanded by then Police Commissioner RS Sharma.
His cabin is often surrounded by journalists who wait for the evening darbar, or “Maria’s darbar” as it is called, where his department feeds the press stories of its gallantry which find their way into the newspapers the next day.
Coming down heavily on Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria, recently the state Chief Information Commissioner has raised doubts about whether he was trying to hide some information on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks by withholding and providing misleading information about the call logs of wireless conversations between the police control room and slain IPS officer Ashok Kamte’s van on the day he died.
In a recent order, state’s Chief Information Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad has also asked the state government to institute a commission of inquiry into the entire incident, to look into why misleading information was provided in an incident of such prominence as the 26/11 terror attacks.
26/11 Investigators on a Hit-List of Diamond Mafia
Did these investigators uncovered the sinister links behind 26/11 Mumbai Attacks ?
The real Indian Martyr Hemanth Karkare was also assassinated because he uncovered the whole story when posted in Austria.
So what did Hemanth Karkare and the others uncovered that got them killed ?
It is well known that a conference of diamond traders was going on in the Taj when the attack took place on 26th November—some diamond traders were killed. But quite a few managed to escape.
Karkare had stumbled upon the source of funding of nearly all major terror attacks in India – The Israeli Jewish Diamond Mafia
In fact, in their reports on the charge-sheet the Times of India and Asian Age conveniently omitted the Israel angle. Both the Hindustan Times and the Mumbai Mirror carried the Israeli angle in detail. In fact the Mumbai Mirror published a telephone conversation between the accused; a conversation which is a landmark in the history of criminal investigation in India, as it exposes, for the first time, that Mossad and Israel were not only supporting terrorism in India, but they were also keen on backing the project for a regime change and suspension of democracy in India.
What Gandhi had to say about Zionism
The real Indian Martyr Hemanth Karkare was also assassinated because he uncovered the whole story when posted in Austria.
So what did Hemanth Karkare and the others uncovered that got them killed ?
It is well known that a conference of diamond traders was going on in the Taj when the attack took place on 26th November—some diamond traders were killed. But quite a few managed to escape.
Karkare had stumbled upon the source of funding of nearly all major terror attacks in India – The Israeli Jewish Diamond Mafia
In fact, in their reports on the charge-sheet the Times of India and Asian Age conveniently omitted the Israel angle. Both the Hindustan Times and the Mumbai Mirror carried the Israeli angle in detail. In fact the Mumbai Mirror published a telephone conversation between the accused; a conversation which is a landmark in the history of criminal investigation in India, as it exposes, for the first time, that Mossad and Israel were not only supporting terrorism in India, but they were also keen on backing the project for a regime change and suspension of democracy in India.
What Gandhi had to say about Zionism
The cry for the national home for the Jews does not make much appeal to me. The sanction for it is sought in the Bible and the tenacity with which the Jews have hankered after return to Palestine. Why should they not, like other peoples of the earth, make that country their home where they are born and where they earn their livelihood? Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French. It is wrong and in-human to impose the Jews on the Arabs. What is going on in Palestine today cannot be justified by any moral code of conduct. The mandates have no sanction but that of the last war. Surely it would be a crime against humanity to reduce the proud Arabs so that Palestine can be restored to the Jews partly or wholly as their national home.
The nobler course would be to insist on a just treatment of the Jews wherever they are born and bred. The Jews born in France are French in precisely the same sense that Christians born in France are French. If the Jews have no home but Palestine, will they relish the idea of being forced to leave the other parts of the world in which they are settled? Or do they want a double home where they can remain at will? This cry for the national home affords a colourable justification for the German expulsion of the Jews.
I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non-violence in resisting what they rightly regarded as an unwarrantable encroachment upon their country. But according to the accepted canons of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds.
Let the Jews who claim to be the chosen race prove their title by choosing the way of non-violence for vindicating their position on earth. Every country is their home including Palestine not by aggression but by loving service. A Jewish friend has sent me a book called The Jewish Contribution to Civilization by Cecil Roth. It gives a record of what the Jews have done to enrich the world’s literature, art, music, drama, science, medicine, agriculture, etc. Given the will, the Jew can refuse to be treated as the outcaste of the West, to be despised or patronized. He can command the attention and respect of the world by being man, the chosen creation of God, instead of being man who is fast sinking to the brute and forsaken by God. They can add to their many contributions the surpassing contribution of non-violent action.”
SEGAON, November 20, 1938 Harijan, 26-11-1938 (Vol. 74, pp. 239-242)
The nobler course would be to insist on a just treatment of the Jews wherever they are born and bred. The Jews born in France are French in precisely the same sense that Christians born in France are French. If the Jews have no home but Palestine, will they relish the idea of being forced to leave the other parts of the world in which they are settled? Or do they want a double home where they can remain at will? This cry for the national home affords a colourable justification for the German expulsion of the Jews.
I am not defending the Arab excesses. I wish they had chosen the way of non-violence in resisting what they rightly regarded as an unwarrantable encroachment upon their country. But according to the accepted canons of right and wrong, nothing can be said against the Arab resistance in the face of overwhelming odds.
Let the Jews who claim to be the chosen race prove their title by choosing the way of non-violence for vindicating their position on earth. Every country is their home including Palestine not by aggression but by loving service. A Jewish friend has sent me a book called The Jewish Contribution to Civilization by Cecil Roth. It gives a record of what the Jews have done to enrich the world’s literature, art, music, drama, science, medicine, agriculture, etc. Given the will, the Jew can refuse to be treated as the outcaste of the West, to be despised or patronized. He can command the attention and respect of the world by being man, the chosen creation of God, instead of being man who is fast sinking to the brute and forsaken by God. They can add to their many contributions the surpassing contribution of non-violent action.”
SEGAON, November 20, 1938 Harijan, 26-11-1938 (Vol. 74, pp. 239-242)
Report by Shelley Kasli
References:
Israel’s “Blood Diamonds” Boost Jeweller Profits as Gaza Bleeds
“Blood Diamonds” and Israel’s Diamond Export Industry
Of Diamonds and Terrorist Attacks in India
How Blood Diamonds Are Smuggled in India
26/11 – What really happened at Nariman House of Confusion
26/11 Investigators on a Hit-List of Diamond Mafia
Has Rakesh Maria tried to salvage his image through Ram Gopal Varma’s film on the 26/11 attack?
26/11 Info panel to probe Maria’s role in manipulating call records
Mossad’s Failed Plot To Recruit Gandhi
Israeli Propaganda in India over Gaza Conflict
Israel’s blood diamonds: Why the free pass from regulators and civil society?
Statement by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on reports indicating the Israeli Government’s intention to expand settlements
Will This Israel-Based Company Be Affected By The Conflict In Gaza?
Diamonds Remain Israel’s Main Export Category
“Blood Diamonds” Financing War Crimes in Gaza. President of London Diamond Bourse: “We Must ‘Finish the Job’”
References:
Israel’s “Blood Diamonds” Boost Jeweller Profits as Gaza Bleeds
“Blood Diamonds” and Israel’s Diamond Export Industry
Of Diamonds and Terrorist Attacks in India
How Blood Diamonds Are Smuggled in India
26/11 – What really happened at Nariman House of Confusion
26/11 Investigators on a Hit-List of Diamond Mafia
Has Rakesh Maria tried to salvage his image through Ram Gopal Varma’s film on the 26/11 attack?
26/11 Info panel to probe Maria’s role in manipulating call records
Mossad’s Failed Plot To Recruit Gandhi
Israeli Propaganda in India over Gaza Conflict
Israel’s blood diamonds: Why the free pass from regulators and civil society?
Statement by the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton on reports indicating the Israeli Government’s intention to expand settlements
Will This Israel-Based Company Be Affected By The Conflict In Gaza?
Diamonds Remain Israel’s Main Export Category
“Blood Diamonds” Financing War Crimes in Gaza. President of London Diamond Bourse: “We Must ‘Finish the Job’”
1 comment:
Thank You for so many excellent articles!
All of my life I have had STRONG dislike of Diamonds. They are NOT a girls best friend! I guess at the soul level I intuitively felt repelled, before discovering the why. I never wanted a man to give me a diamond ring, and I am grateful for that. This excellent article should give pause to anyone regarding this industry. Which enslaves native Africans as well. They take over, loot and enslave where ever they rear their ugly heads. And commit false flag terrorisms. Cui bono?
Zionism is EVIL, Mahatma Gandhi Jee knew this truth. People should still listen to all the lessons he taught the world. He is sublime. Whatever he opposed, we all should oppose. Not just with words, but also actions.
PEACE, LOVE AND LIGHT :)
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