Human rights activists from Palestine, Israel, Europe, USA, Canada, South Africa and Australia, have issued a call to people in the diamond industry not to attend International Diamond Week in Israel in February.

 

Citing the recent decision of the International Criminal Court of Justice to investigate suspected war crimes by Israel; the significant role of revenue from the diamond industry directly and indirectly funding the Israeli military and the failure of the diamond regulatory body, the Kimberley Process (KP), to ban blood diamonds that fund regimes guilty of grave human rights violations, over 100 internationals issued the call on Thursday 30th January.

 

A spokesperson for the group Shareholders Against Blood Diamonds, Sean Clinton, said the diamond industry continues to deceive consumers, the public and shareholders. 

 

Hiding behind the discredited Kimberley Process, a bogus System of Warranties, and buttressed by the Responsible Jewellery Council’s Codes Of Practices jewellers claim diamonds processed in Israel are responsibly sourced and conflict free.

 

The fraud is exposed by the fact that the diamond industry in Israel is estimated to generate about $1 billion per year in funding for the Israeli military which stands accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

 

Mr. Clinton reminded jewellers of their moral and legal responsibilities to consumers and to the victims of diamond funded human rights violations. “They have a duty to ensure their supply chains are not linked directly or indirectly to human rights violations and to remedy any harm caused by their business or their business partners”.

 

Continuing he said consumers should be aware that cut and polished blood diamonds remain fully legal and evade regulation by the KP which only applies to rough diamonds that fund rebel violence. Given Israel’s prominent role in the diamond supply chain he said the probability of someone unwittingly purchasing a blood diamond for their Valentine remains very high.

 

For comment contact:

 

Fathi Tobali in Gaza (972-599740757) or Sean Clinton in Ireland (353-872725300)

 

 

 

Notes for Editors

 

Palestinians Call for Boycott of International Diamond Week 2020  http://www.afopa.com.au/blog/2020/1/30/palestinian-appeal-to-the-diamond-industry

 

The Kimberley Process: Israel’s multi-billion dollar blood diamond laundry  https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20191119-the-kimberley-process-israels-multi-billion-dollar-blood-diamond-laundry/

 

Dec 2011 - Global Witness leaves Kimberley Process, calls for diamond trade to be held accountable - "Most consumers still cannot be sure where their diamonds come from, nor whether they are financing armed violence or abusive regimes."  http://www.globalwitness.org/library/global-witness-leaves-kimberley-process-calls-diamond-trade-be-held-accountable

 

Cut and polished diamonds that generate revenue used to fund war crimes evade the Kimberley Process Regulations which only ban “conflict diamonds” described as:  “rough diamonds used by rebel movements or their allies to finance conflict aimed at undermining legitimate governments” https://www.kimberleyprocess.com/

 

“The Mission finds that the conduct of the Israeli armed forces constitutes grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention in respect of wilful killings and wilfully causing great suffering to protected persons and, as such, give rise to individual criminal responsibility. It also finds that the direct targeting and arbitrary killing of Palestinian civilians is a violation of the right to life.” UN Human Rights Council Report of the Fact-Finding Mission of the Gaza Conflict – http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/12session/A-HRC-12-48.pdf

 

Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition, Brussels Communiqué calls for the inclusion of the cutting and polishing industry in the Kimberley Process http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11361

 

Israel blocks attempts to broaden the definition of a “conflict diamond” to include cutting and polishing centres https://www.en.isde.co.il/article.aspx?id=29402

 

Human Rights Watch – Unlawful Israeli Attacks on Palestinian Media

 “Official statements that reflect the military having adopted an unlawful basis for attacks are evidence of war crimes because they show intent.” https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/12/20/israel/gaza-unlawful-israeli-attacks-palestinian-media

 

According to Israeli political economist, Shir Hever, “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.  Overall the Israeli diamond industry contributes about $1 billion annually to the Israeli military and security industries.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPmTlDFE9-4&t=6s

 

“Israeli forces killed hundreds of unarmed Palestinian civilians and destroyed thousands of homes in Gaza in attacks which breached the laws of war, Amnesty International concluded” - http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/impunity-war-crimes-gaza-southern-israel-recipe-further-civilian-suffering-20090702