Minister Promises to Aid Israeli Diamond Industry

“I consider myself responsible to help you,” Israel’s minister of Industry, trade and Labor, Binyamin Ben Eliezer told local diamond traders. He was responding to a statement made by the president of Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association (IsDMA) that lamented on the limited support the sector got from government and banks during the recent recession.

Speaking at an event honoring industry veterans, IsDMA President Moti Ganz said the Israeli diamond industry made it through the crisis but was disappointed by the lack of support the industry got from government ministries and local banks. “I want to be optimistic, it’s still not too late [to help],” Ganz added.

The Israeli diamond industry saluted its veterans, awarding eleven of them with an industry accolade. The honored men are the late Hanoch Baitelman, the late Joseph Yohananoff, the late Zachi Schwartz, the late Nisan Shmueli, Israel Eliezri, Moshe Bleiweiss, David Halpert, Joseph Tilayov, Eliezer Levavi and brothers Tuvia and Yehuda Lipszyc.