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Last update - 02:46 05/08/2008
Israelis in West Africa: We live in Hezbollah state
By Ora Coren, TheMarker Correspondent
Tags: terror, Hezbollah, Africa 

Israeli diamond merchants active in West Africa, responding to the report in Haaretz on Monday that defense officials are worried Hezbollah terrorists will target Israeli communities there, said the Lebanese movement enjoyed the strong support of locals.

"The big problem for Israelis in West Africa is that there are countries whose diamond industry is controled by Lebanese locals, a majority of whom openly support Hezbollah," a source in the Israeli diamond business said Monday. "In effect, these are countries which are known as Hezbollah states," he added.

Israeli companies that deal in diamonds, agriculture, communications and security operate mainly in Sierra Leone, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana and Kenya. Hundreds of Israelis reside on the African continent, for the most part families with children who live in the vicinity of the diamond mines in West Africa. Sources close to the Israeli companies say that some have begun evacuating employees from the area following the defense establishment's warning. At this point, the move is being billed as a vacation until things settle down, but it is not clear whether the companies will risk sending their staff back.
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Israeli diamond merchants who live in West Africa say the region is extremely dangerous in terms of personal safety. "They've got bribery and crime, the police don't function, and the Israelis wandering around there are completely exposed and utterly unprotected," one source said.

"There are Muslim countries there, pro-Arab with regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that are a very easy berth for Hezbollah activity," he added.

The most prominent Israeli businessman in the region is diamond tycoon Beny Steinmetz, who is worth an estimated $3 billion. Steinmetz operates through foreign companies in Sierra Leone, Botswana, the Congo and Zambia. He owns the largest diamond mine in Sierra Leone - Koidu, which produces an estimated $20-30 million worth of diamonds annually.

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      1.   LEBANON now accepts responsibilty for Hesballah 03:08  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      2.   Jews amd Lebanese always worked together 03:39  |  gus 05/08/08
      3.   #2 Every word you have written is a lie 03:57  |  McQueen 05/08/08
      4.   Lebanon is the clear"return to sender"adress for Hesballa terror. 03:58  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      5.   1st things 1st 04:39  |  Ron 05/08/08
      6.   The perpetual Holocaust of native Africans. 04:47  |  Maureen Ann 05/08/08
      7.   #1, #4 PETER SM 04:49  |  Johnboy 05/08/08
      8.   Hezbollah and Lebanon 05:00  |  Quijybo 05/08/08
      9.   JOHNBOY.If it happens expect consequences 05:16  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      10.   ???! Only 1 of the W. African states listed is heavily Moslem 05:42  |  Dr. L. Brnd 05/08/08
      11.   Israelis in Western Africa Should be Transferred to Israel 05:57  |  Clear Minded One 05/08/08
      12.   Sierra Leone`s Resources Should Benefit Those Citizens First 06:20  |  Reader 05/08/08
      13.   Maureen Ann 07:02  |  hanoi 05/08/08
      14.   Lebanon = Hezbollah. Clear enough? 07:06  |  Efroim 05/08/08
      15.   #13 Hanoi. The slave trade. 08:13  |  Maureen Ann 05/08/08
      16.   #6,Go girl.you tell `em.Africans are no Palestinians 08:40  |  Judith 05/08/08
      17.   Zions never learn 08:59  |  Mohamad from Lebanon 05/08/08
      18.   #1, R U for real?! 09:12  |  sinalco 05/08/08
      19.   #13 hanoi 09:18  |  Warren J 05/08/08
      20.   #14 Efroim..we saw in 2006 how u called the shots! 09:22  |  sinalco 05/08/08
      21.   Mohamad of Lebanon, if you got wet lands and the frogs 09:34  |  Jew- and Bookburner 05/08/08
      22.   JUDITH Africans are the ones being,raped,butchered by Arabs 09:52  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      23.   "pro-arab with regard to the israeli-palestinian conflict" 09:53  |  eric 05/08/08
      24.   to Efroim, dream on 09:53  |  gus 05/08/08
      25.   gus is delusional 10:44  |  ChanahS 05/08/08
      26.   gus is delusional 10:44  |  ChanahS 05/08/08
      27.   To the african nations who accommodate the israelis 12:17  |  fk 05/08/08
      28.   Two stories today in Haaretz 12:31  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/08/08
      29.   I have a news flash for you Gus 13:11  |  Michael 05/08/08
      30.   LINTHWAITE Only one question for you.Why are you such a liar? 13:37  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      31.   Live From Cotonou 13:58  |  John Travis 05/08/08
      32.   Do I sense any sympathy for the ordinary Lebanese man? 14:08  |  No To Stupid Leaders 05/08/08
      33.   Is occupying ALL of NYC ALL of New Mexico really worth it? 14:10  |  x-ray 05/08/08
      34.   #9 Oh, I don`t doubt the consequences, PETER SM 14:31  |  Johnboy 05/08/08
      35.   #30 Peter SM 14:45  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/08/08
      36.   LINTHWAITE You made a lying claim.You were disproved 15:12  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      37.   #34 15:21  |  mike 05/08/08
      38.   ERIC Misquoting"There are Muslim countries there, pro-Arab with - 15:56  |  PETER SM 05/08/08
      39.   WITHDRAW FROM PALESTINE, SECURITY WILL FOLLOW 16:05  |  indrajaya 05/08/08
      40.   #30 petersm Is your god male or female- 16:18  |  Labhras 05/08/08
      41.   Indrahaha 16:41  |  Timmy 05/08/08
      42.   The Lebanese are very intelligent and cultured people 17:33  |  American 05/08/08
      43.   nu. 39---re withdraw from palestine 17:51  |  israel 4ever 05/08/08
      44.   Linthwaite, Labrhas 17:56  |  rich 05/08/08
      45.   Some Lebanese may be intelligent 18:17  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/08/08
      46.   #44 Rich 18:18  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/08/08
      47.   Very simple Linthwaite kill off all the Jews and no trouble 18:50  |  x-ray 05/08/08
      48.   fk - a few places where there is death and bloodshed 18:56  |  David Israel 05/08/08
      49.   #15 Maureen the slave traders were 19:04  |  Arabs 05/08/08
      50.   #46 Linthwaite, excusing terror & UK Sharia 19:06  |  ZISD 05/08/08
      51.   Blame, Blame Blame. Shout wolf all you can. 19:12  |  American 05/08/08
      52.   #15 Maureen Ann - Slavery in saudi Arabia 19:13  |  David Israel 05/08/08
      53.   Hezbollah given card blanche to run Lebanon. 19:17  |  American 05/08/08
      54.   #46 Linthwaite comes clean 19:18  |  fiona 05/08/08
      55.   x-ray, Chris offers peace and you offer death... 19:20  |  BBSNews 05/08/08
      56.   No. 47, xray 19:36  |  W 05/08/08
      57.   living in hezbollah state or money over life 19:46  |  Egbert 05/08/08
      58.   BS news 19:47  |  x-ray 05/08/08
      59.   #54 Fiona 19:50  |  Chris Linthwaite 05/08/08
      60.   Hey BBS cut the BS 19:53  |  fiona 05/08/08
      61.   Indrajoke 19:57  |  Michael 05/08/08
      62.   W 20:01  |  x-ray 05/08/08
      63.   Linthwaite, who rejected the two state solution in 1948? 20:07  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/08/08
      64.   Chris Lightweight`s response to Fiona 20:14