Galei Zahal (IDF Army) radio reports that the UN's children's fund UNICEF has announced that it is severing its ties with Africa-Israel chairman and controlling shareholder Lev Leviev "due to his suspected involvement in building settlements in the West Bank." An official source at UNICEF said on Friday, that such involvement amounted to a blatant violation of the organization's principles.
Leviev was unavailable for comment, since the UNICEF announcement was released following the commencement of the Sabbath. He has supported UNICEF with direct contributions and indirectly by sponsoring UNICEF fund-raisers.
UNICEF was informed of Leviev's alleged activity by Arab rights advocacy group Adalah in the US (which is not affiliated to the organization by the same name in Israel), which claimed that companies in the Africa-Israel group were building properties in settlements.
"I can confirm that UNICEF has advised Adalah in New York that it will not be entering into any partnerships or accepting financial contributions from Lev Leviev," Chris de Bono, a senior adviser to the executive director of UNICEF, told "Reuters".
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on June 22, 2008
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