The small African country has called for sanctions on Israel but its deep-rooted trade links with Tel Aviv underline its vulnerability.
Most of the companies involved in Namibia's diamond trade are from Israel. / Photo: AP Archivedozens of other states that have asked the International Court of Justice to see if Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide.for sanctions against Israeli companies. But this has put the spotlight on Namibia’s highly regulated and secretive diamond trade with Israel and raised questions about Windhoek’s ability to take any substantial measure to ease the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
During the proceedings, Namibia’s legal representative at the ICJ, Phoebe Okowa, suggested punitive measures against Israel for ‘killings, dispossession of lands, and ethnic cleansing’ of Palestinian people.“All states are under an obligation not to recognize, assist, or contribute to the continuation of the unlawful occupation which includes the obligation of the third states not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the illegal situation.
The positive trade balance is something Namibian officials will be hard-pressed to sacrifice even as they take a very public pro-Palestinian stance, officials say.An inspection of company ownership documents at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority of Namibia reveals the business addresses of many firms involved in Namibia’s diamond trade are registered in Israel.
It is wrong for a Minister of Justice to comment on matters of international diplomacy when there is an authority constitutionally mandated to do so, says Kalomoh. Lev Leviev and his companies came under international spotlight when a group of Palestinians launched a, alleging he benefits from Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.
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