Diamond industry in Israel
The Diamond industry of Israel is an important world player in producing cut
History
Pre-state beginnings
What was to become the Israeli diamond industry began in 1937, eleven years before
Between 1944 and 1948 the industry suffered from the increasing lawlessness and in February 1948 closed down completely.[6]
First years of the State of Israel
After a state was declared, the consumer economy was shifted to a war economy. This came at the height of a diamond crisis, as many war-torn economies were struggling to re-establish.[citation needed]
During the first fifteen years of Israel's existence, diamonds and
After reaching its lowest point in the wake of the 1948 closedown,[dubious ] the industry has continued to grow, producing a world leader in the diamond industry.[citation needed]
Current state
In the beginning of the 21st century, Israel is one of the world's three major centers for polished
In 2007, when diamonds still constituted almost 24% of Israel's total exports,[12] 12% of world diamonds (by their value) were polished in the country.[13] In 2010 this number decreased to 9%.[14] As of 2016[update], diamonds amounted to 28% of Israel's total exports and they were still 12% of the world's production.[2][3]
Trading infrastructure
The industry is located in the "Diamond District", located in Ramat Gan in the Tel Aviv District. The complex is made up of four buildings, interconnected with walkways. The entire trading operation takes place in this complex.[15] The Diamond Tower in the district contains the world's largest diamond trading floor.
Industry principles
The Israeli diamond industry guarantees all diamonds are 100% naturally made and participates in the
Some human rights campaigners, however, say the Kimberley Process defines conflict diamonds too narrowly, only relating to uncut stones, enabling Israel's diamond-cutting industry to avoid attention.[16] The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, among others, has called for diamonds processed in Israel to be considered conflict diamonds.[17][18][19]
See also
- Economy of Israel
- Moshe Schnitzer, key player in the international diamond trade, from 1967-1993 President of the Israel Diamond Exchange
References
- ^ Miskin, Maayana (June 18, 2010). "Zimbabwe Diamond Activist Jailed before Israel Appearance". Arutz Sheva. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "OEC - the Observatory of Economic Complexity | OEC".
- ^ a b "OEC - the Observatory of Economic Complexity | OEC".
- ^ The Early 1900s Archived 2006-11-07 at the Wayback Machine by Shira Ami
- ISBN 0-88728-211-3. Page 445.
- ^ The Scotsman, March 8th 1948: 'Clare Hollingworth, Jerusalem, by Air Mail : One of the biggest casualties of the Palestine civil war occurred last month in a veil of obscurity. The entire Jewish-owned diamond polishing industry of Palestine, which had grown during the war to be the second largest in the world after that of Holland, was closed down. It is considered unlikely that the industry, which in 1946 exported £5,501,000 worth of cut diamonds, mostly to the United States, will reopen again on anything like its former scale. Four official reasons are given for ‘suspending work’. The first is that 2500 workers in 34 diamond-cutting plants walked out as a result of ‘hold-ups by dissident underground organisations.’ Secondly, Mr O. Ben-Ami, president of the Diamond Manufacturing Association, states that £200,000 of diamonds have been stolen since 1944. The third reason is that insurance companies, after raising diamond insurance rates for Palestine to 12 per cent. recently declined cover altogether. Fourthly, the Palestine Post Office no longer accepts registered mail. The fate of the diamond industry illustrates the twin dangers which threaten the whole of the new industrial system which the Zionists have built up rapidly in Palestine in recent years, and on which many Zionist economists based their hopes for the livelihood of a future Jewish state. The dangers are the dislocation caused by the guerrilla struggle waged by Jewish extremists, which has now developed into an economically paralysing civil war, and the post-war revival of international trade at competitive prices, which has revealed the shaky basis of wartime expansion of Zionist industry.'
- ^ Meirav Arlosoroff, When Ben-Gurion Saved Israel’s Economy at Any Price, Haaretz, 23 March 2018
- ^ Jewellery Business - Israel’s 2012 polished diamond exports decline
- ^ "Diamond Exports". Ynetnews. 15 January 2013. Retrieved January 16, 2013.
- ^ Israel 2012 diamond exports fall, may rebound if no more crises | Reuters
- ^ - Israel's Polished Diamond Exports -22% in 2012
- ISBN 9781411329652page 48.1 The mineral Industry of Israel: "Israel's total exports amounted to $45.9 billion in 2007, of which diamonds accounted for 23.9%"
- ISBN 9781411329652page 48.1 The mineral Industry of Israel: "In 2007 .. Israel accounted for 12% of the value of the world's polished diamond production"
- ISBN 9781411331747page 48.1 The mineral Industry of Israel: "In 2010, Israel accounted for 9% of the value of the wolr's polished diamond production"
- ^ a b Israel Diamond Industry Organizations Archived January 6, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNERS SAY KIMBERLEY PROCESS MUST SUSPEND ISRAEL AND BAN ISRAELI DIAMONDS EXPORTS
- ^ Israel's blood diamonds (BDS, March 31, 2010)
- ^ SOUTH AFRICA: Avocados, Diamonds at Core of Anti-Israel Trade Campaign (IPS, Jan 26 2007)
- ^ "South African Officials Must Reject Israeli Blood Diamonds and Secure Jobs in Diamond Beneficiation (IPSC, June 3, 2013)". Archived from the original on April 21, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2019.