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(Photo: Mike Morice / Next Left Notes)

New York, NY - December 8, 2007. A spirited demonstration calling for a boycott of one of Israel’s wealthiest businessmen took place outside his exclusive upper east side jewelry store today amidst a steady stream of bustling holiday shoppers.

The protest, organized by Adalah-NY: The Coalition for Justice In the Middle East, was the latest in a campaign to hold real estate developer and diamond mogul Lev Leviev and his Africa-Israel company responsible for building destructive projects in New York City and the Occupied West Bank in Palestine. Leviev’s West Bank settlements violate international law and have even been criticized by the U.S. government, Israel’s strongest ally. Building settlements on strategic land belonging to Palestinian farmers threatens their ability to survive and remain in their homes, promotes the destruction of local communities, and ensures Israeli control over key areas in the West Bank.

In NYC, Adalah maintain that Leviev shows a similar disregard for local communities and responsible real estate development by employing underpaid, non-union workers in hazardous conditions. Leviev and former partner Shaya Boymelgreen are additionally charged with violating housing codes to construct luxury apartments that displace low and moderate income residents in Brooklyn.

Gathered in front of Leviev’s ritzy Madison Avenue storefront, the Palestinian Liberation Dance Troup performed a dabke, a traditional Palestinian dance, accompanied by the music of the Rude Mechanical Orchestra. Boisterous chants of “You’re glitz, you’re glam, you’re stealing Palestinian land” and “All your diamonds can’t hide your support for apartheid”, filled the air, surprising more than a few Saturday shoppers and discouraging several from shopping at the store. One shopper who was not discouraged was noted attorney and Harvard law professor, Alan Dershowitz, who smugly taunted the demonstrators before entering the jewelry store to shop. A bag of jewelry purchases in tow, Dershowitz exited the store some time later and picked up where he left off, holding up the bag, laughing, and further taunting the protestors.

View Photos/Videos From The Action…

Original post by Devra Morice and reposted by Radical Blogs