Leviev faces protest outside New York office

Just as Lev Leviev opened its new store in Madison Avenue, a Palestinian interest group Adalah-NY demonstrated protests against the company outside its New York City office, demanding a ban. The group narrated their reasons with slogans like “you sparkle, you shine, but settlements are still a crime”. According to the group, Leviev has built five illegal settlements on Palestinian land in the West Bank.

The protestors created awareness amongst passing people as they gave out gift bags containing the soil from Palestine and a thank-you note which addressed that, "Dear valued customer, with every purchase you make from LEVIEV New York, you help Lev Leviev to seize a handful of Palestinian land in order to build more illegal Israeli settlements." Continuing this opposition, the group said that Leviev and New York residential real estate developer Shaya Boymelgreen are pushing lower- and middle-income residents out of New York.

According to a statement to National Jeweler, Leviev and the LLG Companies said that he protests were "politically motivated." "Those who have personally attacked the group or its founder are not aware of the extensive humanitarian work of the group, including building schools, orphanages and fostering economic development in communities around the world. The LLG Companies are committed to—and have been recognized for—philanthropic work in communities in which they operate."

The Adalah-NY group has apparently lined up a strategy to hand out flyers outside Leviev on Black Friday, a day where maximum shopping takes place in the entire year, coupled with a large protest in the coming weeks. "We will return as often as necessary until New Yorkers understand that Leviev's triangle trade is built on human rights abuses and the destruction of marginalized communities in New York City, the Palestinian towns of Bil'in and Jayyous, and in Angola," said Ethan Heitner, a spokesperson for Adalah-NY.